New Book Examines Responsible Use of Space

SECURE WORLD FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE

A new publication provides a fresh comprehensive evaluation on how to achieve the sustainable use of space by means of respecting fairness and responsibility.

The Fair and Responsible Use of Space – An International Perspective has been released as the fourth volume in the series “Studies in Space Policy” edited by the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) and published by SpringerWienNewYork.

“We hope that this book will be a highly useful resource in the current efforts to find appropriate mechanisms for the fair and responsible use of outer space,” said Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director of Secure World Foundation.

Chapters of the book draw upon the contributions of several renowned experts that took part in a November 2008 conference on the same topic, convened in Vienna, and jointly organized by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), Secure World Foundation (SWF) and ESPI, which served as conference coordinator and host.

The mission of ESPI is to provide decision-makers with an independent view and analysis on mid- to long term issues relevant to the use of space.

The book is co-edited by ESPI’s Wolfgang Rathgeber and Kai-Uwe Schrogl, and Ray Williamson of Secure World Foundation.

Commons of Earth Orbit

“Space and its applications have become crucial for modern societies and the day to day lives of most of the world’s population,” said Professor Kai-Uwe Schrogl, Director of the European Space Policy Institute.

“Accordingly, access to, and the use of, space capabilities has to be within reach of both developed and developing countries. Likewise, the utilization of space by the current generation should not endanger the ability of future generations to benefit from it as well. These goals can only be achieved if space is explored and used in a fair and responsible manner,” Schrogl noted.

In his contribution, “Fairness and Responsibility in Space Activities,” SWF’s Williamson explains:

“Clearly, the era of treating orbital space as a realm in which there are few rules beyond the stringent laws of physics is over. The question for spacefaring States is now what sort of rules are needed and how they should bind States to make sure that activities in outer space are conducted in a fair, responsible and sustainable manner.”

Williamson concludes that initiatives by the international community need to be pursued with vigor, “lest the commons of Earth orbit become an impassable junk yard and a testament to humanity’s inability to work sustainably in Earth orbit.”