Who Owns Outer Space?
International Law, Astrophysics, and the Sustainable Development of Space

Explores the environmental, safety, and security challenges facing humanity's rapid expansion into Space and proposes actionable solutions.

Michael Byers (Author), Aaron Boley (Author)

9781108497831, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 April 2023

300 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 2.3 cm, 0.76 kg

'Who Owns Outer Space? The question sounds simple, and one might look for a simple answer. But geopolitical aspects as well as the increase of commercialisation of space request serious evaluations and comprehensive positions. By providing all of this, the book is of outstanding importance for the development of sustainability in space.' Johann-Dietrich 'Jan' Wörner, former Director General of the European Space Agency

From Space debris to asteroid strikes to anti-satellite weapons, humanity's rapid expansion into Space raises major environmental, safety, and security challenges. In this book, Michael Byers and Aaron Boley, an international lawyer and an astrophysicist, identify and interrogate these challenges and propose actionable solutions. They explore essential questions from, 'How do we ensure all of humanity benefits from the development of Space, and not just the world's richest people?' to 'Is it possible to avoid war in Space?' Byers and Boley explain the essential aspects of Space science, international law, and global governance in a fully transdisciplinary and highly accessible way. Addressing the latest and emerging developments in Space, they equip readers with the knowledge and tools to engage in current and critically important legal, policy, and scientific debates concerning the future development of Space. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

1. Space tourism
2. Mega-constellations
3. Mega-constellations and international law
4. Abandoned rocket bodies
5. Space mining
6. Planetary defence
7. Space security
8. Anti-satellite weapons and international law.

Subject Areas: Space science [TTD], Astronomy, space & time [PG], International organisations & institutions [LBBU], Public international law [LBB], International relations [JPS]