Lunar Astropolitics: Cooperation, Governance, Competition, and Conflict

Abstract

Humanity’s return to cislunar space and the lunar surface is transforming into a complex political environment. These domains encompass issues of politics, technology, power, competition, conflict, and cooperation. Political outcomes will be shaped by the Outer Space Treaty Regime and by the interplay of missions, material and technological conditions, infrastructure and operations, best practices, principles and codes of conduct that are advanced, geopolitics, and national policies and laws. Lunar Astropolitics asks how cooperation, competition, and conflict can all exist. No single authority will govern the Moon. Instead, an assemblage of actors, politics, law, norms, technical standards, best practices, operations, and consultation processes will all co-produce order. Key factors shaping the rules and values that govern cislunar space and a lunar presence are discussed. Within this context, institutional architectures that preserve plurality and sustainability are ascertained concerning forms of coordination, such as protected zones, equity, interoperability standards, commitments to sustainability, and inclusive consultation bodies.

A short bio

Eligar (Eli) Sadeh, Ph.D., is an Aerospace Professional since 1982 and The Man Who Wrote the Book on the human relationship to the space enterprise. He is a TEDx speaker, and CEO and Founder of Astroconsulting International LLC and the non-profit Astropolitics Institute where he engages in technical consulting and educational programming. Eli serves as Chief Editor of the academic journal Astropolitics, which covers human factors related to the space program. He is a Professor and STEM educator of Aerospace Engineering, Space Operations, Program/Project Management, Business and Entrepreneurship, Astrophysics, Physics, Environmental Studies, and Astropolitics. Professional experiences include work with NASA, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Colorado, Colorado State University, U.S. Air Force Academy Eisenhower Center of Space and Defense Studies, U.S. Air Force Space Command, University of North Dakota Aerospace Sciences and Space Studies, International Space University, and foreign national space agencies and academic institutions. Eli is working to develop expeditionary STEM programs. Eligar’s leadership in aerospace and seminal publications helped revolutionize the way we think about space exploration and the space program.