International experts are using earthly policies as models to hash out regulations for orbiting spacecraft, from preventing conflict to limiting trash.
For the past few years, Russian and Chinese diplomats have sought to advance a treaty preventing the placement of weapons in space. But they made little progress with it. The US blocked that effort, without offering any alternatives.
On just the first day of the Geneva meeting, representatives from many countries had already spoken up about the need for peace in space, including those from Mexico, Austria, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka. The fact that delegations from countries without many spacecraft are actively participating isn’t surprising, considering how much space security matters for everyone.
The rest of the week’s talks include presentations by Steer, Azcárate Ortega, and others about terrestrial laws that could serve as a guide as negotiators move on from discussions to recommendations. If all goes well, delegates will agree on a consensus document at the end of the week, which could be a starting point for September’s meeting.
While UN processes run slowly and can be politically charged, Azcárate Ortega feels optimistic. “This seems to be moving forward after many years in which nothing really happened, or people talked but there weren’t concrete proposals,” she says. “All sides of the geopolitical spectrum are coming to the table. I don’t expect everyone to agree from the get-go, but it’s very encouraging.”
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