During the Cold War, space exploration served as a forum for global powers to compete against one another in a race for knowledge, power and prestige. Space governance — the setting of international rules on technology, security and accountability — accordingly became a heavily contested issue. In drafting agreements and founding institutions, key players sought to display their diplomatic prowess and have a hand in creating the “rules of the game.” This paper considers how space governance frameworks — largely unchanged since the 1980s — are likely to fare in modern times. The paper maps the current governance landscape, before analyzing recent developments in the space policies of the United States, the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. In doing so, the authors argue that existing governance systems are no longer fit for purpose. Instead, real change is necessary to account for the commercial, technological and military interests that are emerging in tandem with a new geopolitical order. The paper concludes with recommendations and identifies opportunities for global powers to develop a revised and most robust governance regime.
