Great Power Competition in Outer Space

Human activity in space is increasing rapidly. Strategic competition, commercial ventures, and the number of spacefaring countries are all increasing. Strategic competition among governments extends into space. Critical national security programs, global communications systems, and navigation tools are all supported by assets orbiting in space. Six thousand satellites and more than twenty-seven thousand pieces of satellite-damaging debris orbit the Earth. Furthermore, sovereign governments are no longer the only entities with access to space. Increasingly, private companies offer services in space. Managing competition and congestion in space requires international cooperation because this area is not sovereign territory; every state has a right of access. The push of new technology, commercial interests, scientific inquiry, and diplomatic competition generate the need for new governance regimes. The Project on Great Power Competition in Outer Space will produce a book, articles, and meetings to identify pillars of a new system of governance to manage human activities in space. Esther Brimmer, James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance, also serves as the project director for CFR's Task Force on Space Management Policy.