LSE IQ Podcast: "Who owns outer space?"

Date: November 20, 2024
Host: Mayen Arad (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Guests:

• Helen Sharman (First British astronaut)
• Dr. Jill Stewart (Politics, ethics and law of outer space, LSE Department of Government)
• Dr. Demetrius Trakas (Head of Space Policy Program, LSE IDEAS)

Overview

This episode explores the question "Who owns outer space?" by examining the history, politics, and future of outer space governance. Through interviews with astronauts and legal experts, the discussion covers the commercialization of space, legal frameworks, geopolitical competition, space debris, the risks and rewards of lunar mining, and ethical imperatives for international cooperation. The conversation probes whether old treaties can handle new realities in a rapidly changing space landscape.

Key Discussion Points

The Drive to Explore Space

• Human Curiosity & Legacy: Humanity’s longstanding curiosity about the cosmos, inspired by both wonder and practical questions of origin and destiny ([03:28] - Helen Sharman, Dr. Jill Stewart).
• Economic Incentive: Space as a major emerging economy, predicted to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035 ([03:31] - Helen Sharman).
• Tech & Science Feedback Loop: Advances in space yield new technologies with benefits for life on Earth ([04:04] - Dr. Jill Stewart).

Space in Everyday Life

• Ubiquity of Satellites: Modern society’s dependence on space-based tech: communications, navigation (GPS), climate monitoring, and even financial transactions ([05:28] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).
• Space as Military “Force Multiplier”: Strategic importance beyond purely civilian or scientific use ([05:28] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).

Commercialization and Democratization

• Shift from State to Private: Private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin now lead innovation and mission capabilities; the role of governments is shifting from direct control to procurement ([08:27]-[09:08] - Helen Sharman, Dr. Jill Stewart).
  • “Nation states are losing that control over what is done in space … it’s really starting to change and getting very exciting as well as possibly a little risky.” — Helen Sharman [08:27]
• Messy Public-Private Dynamics: Overlap between government and corporate funding; commercial ventures have always been significant, but the scale and independence are new ([10:42] - Dr. Jill Stewart).
• Lowered Costs & Access: Entry barriers for launching payloads have plummeted, enabling startups and universities to participate ([11:12] - Helen Sharman, Dr. Jill Stewart).

Crowding and Space Debris

• Who is Responsible?: All objects in space are legally tied to their "launching state," per the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, complicating liability when private companies or multi-national missions are involved ([11:33] - Dr. Jill Stewart).
• Liability & Insurance: Formal mechanisms in place, but largely untested and potentially convoluted in practice ([12:00] - Dr. Jill Stewart).
• Kessler Syndrome: The risk of exponential debris creation from cascading satellite collisions, threatening all orbital activities ([13:37] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).
  • “We’re reaching a turning point known as the Kessler Syndrome … which in turn increases the likelihood of further collisions.” — Dr. Demetrius Trakas [13:37]
• Real-World Near Misses: Russian satellite test created debris that endangered the ISS. “[Debris] was then in direct track of the International Space Station… only a matter of time before somebody actually dies in space, and it … will likely be because of debris.” — Helen Sharman [14:55]
• Tracking the Junk: Agencies and universities worldwide track debris, but comprehensive air traffic-style management is lacking ([15:44]–[15:49] - Helen Sharman, Dr. Jill Stewart).

Legal Frameworks & Gaps

• Outer Space Treaty (1967): Asserts space as "the province of all mankind" — no national sovereignty allowed over celestial bodies, bans WMDs in space, but allows certain military uses like anti-satellite weapons ([16:40] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).

  • “Space cannot be appropriated by any state, so national sovereignty cannot be extended, for example, on the Moon and other planets.” — Dr. Demetrius Trakas [16:40]

• Other Treaties:

  • Liability Convention — responsibility for damage
  • Registration Convention — object registration
  • Rescue Agreement — help for astronauts
  • Moon Agreement — equitable access to lunar resources, largely unratified by major space powers ([18:28]-[18:54] - Mayen Arad, Dr. Demetrius Trakas).
  • “The Moon Treaty is a failed treaty in this regard.” — Dr. Demetrius Trakas [18:54]

• Inadequacies of the Old Regime:

  • Frameworks never fully tested, may be outdated for modern realities, especially with commercial mining and “race” for lunar resources ([16:40]-[18:54] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).
  • International negotiations stymied by geopolitics, e.g., Ukraine war disrupting recent UN efforts ([19:31] - Dr. Demetrius Trakas).

Future Risks: Mining and Inequality

• Lunar & Asteroid Mining:
  • Technological barriers remain but progress is real; first missions may bring minerals like platinum and cobalt to Earth within a decade ([20:24] - Helen Sharman).
  • “Let’s say it’s cobalt ... If we’re then bringing back loads of cobalt from space, we’re upsetting that balance ... Are we just going to perpetuate the haves and have-nots?” — Helen Sharman [20:24]
• Exacerbating Inequality:
  • Developing nations risk being left out; need for capacity building and inclusive governance mechanisms
  • “Pre-allocation of certain orbital slots for developing countries” as early attempts at inclusion ([22:05]-[23:28] - Dr. Jill Stewart).

Ownership and the Politics of Neutrality

• The American Flag on the Moon:
  • The US flags placed by Apollo missions do not equate to sovereignty ([25:35]-[25:51] - Mayen Arad, Dr. Jill Stewart).
  • “There were discussions about potentially carrying … the United Nations flag … [but] they decided to go with the US flag … they think it cost like $4.67.” — Dr. Jill Stewart [25:51]
• Origins of Neutrality:
  • The decision for space to be “neutral territory” rooted in Cold War politics and the high-seas analogy ([23:54] - Dr. Jill Stewart).
• Personal Reflection:
  • Astronauts’ changing perceptions of planet and borders from space:
    • “By the fifth day we were aware of only one Earth … those whole nation state things dwindle because we’re sharing an atmosphere, we’re sharing technology …” — Helen Sharman [27:12]
    • “Literally rise above.” — Dr. Jill Stewart [28:32] (in response)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Helen Sharman on her motivation: “The motivation really, if I’m honest, was not so much about flying into space, but I was thinking about the training...living there and, and being part of all that Russian culture...” [01:42]
• Dr. Jill Stewart on propaganda and the Cold War: “It’s a nice way for a country to demonstrate things like technology that potentially has a military subtext, but in a peaceful way...” [04:04]
• Dr. Demetrius Trakas on space in daily life: “We depend every day on the space economy...Financial transactions depend on space technology.” [05:28]
• Helen Sharman on commercial change: “The difference is now that the agencies are buying services...nation states are losing that control...” [08:27]
• Dr. Jill Stewart on legal liability: “According to the Outer Space Treaty...everything that goes into space still technically belongs to what we call the launching state.” [11:33]
• On Kessler Syndrome: “...collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which collision generates space debris, which in turn increases the likelihood of further collisions.” — Dr. Demetrius Trakas [13:37]
• Helen Sharman on risk to astronauts: “It is only a matter of time before somebody actually dies in the space...likely because of debris.” [14:55]
• On the flags on the Moon: “NASA has acknowledged that they are probably bleached white at this point.” — Dr. Jill Stewart [25:51]
• Astronaut's perspective: “By the fifth day we were aware of only one Earth.” — Helen Sharman [27:12]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–03:31: Helen Sharman recounts seeing Earth from space; discussion of the impulse to explore
• 03:31–06:53: Economics, technology, and politics drive space activity
• 08:27–11:16: Commercialization and the shifting balance of power
• 11:33–13:07: Legal complications of private activity, insurance, and debris
• 13:37–15:44: Kessler Syndrome, real risks posed by debris
• 15:49–16:40: Tracking debris, air traffic management challenge
• 16:40–19:21: Outer Space Treaty, other international agreements, and their limitations
• 20:24–23:28: Moon mining, resource diplomacy, and potential impact on global inequality
• 25:35–27:12: Symbolism and politics of the American flag on the moon
• 27:12–28:32: Helen Sharman reflects on borders, unity, and what it feels like to see Earth from space

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a balanced, informed, and occasionally wry tone — moving between personal experience, scholarly insight, and accessible examples drawn from pop culture (e.g., the movie "Gravity" and the story of the Moon flags).

Conclusion

This wide-ranging episode emphasizes that while no state or private actor can legally own any part of outer space, the reality is increasingly complex as commercial activities boom and great power competition returns. Legal frameworks, written in the dawn of the space age, now face unprecedented tests. The true challenge may not be technological, but rather how humanity shares both the risks and rewards of the ultimate frontier. The astronauts’ perspective, seeing no borders, underlines the need for international cooperation — before old earthbound inequalities and rivalries simply move outward into the stars.