The path forward for sustainable space exploration

• Space exploration is in the midst of a transformative era marked by groundbreaking missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
• Public and private space actors are revolutionizing the industry with cost-effective, reusable launch vehicles and ambitious missions.
• Here's how we can ensure space activities are conducted in a way that safeguards the interests of future generations.

• Space exploration also encourages international cooperation and inspires future generations. There have never been so many space exploration missions venturing into our solar system.

  In recent months, six missions have been launched to the Moon. India and Japan became the fourth and fifth nations, respectively, to achieve successful 'soft' lunar landings alongside a private mission.

  China has recently returned the first-ever samples from the lunar “farside”. Additionally, more than 150 lunar and cislunar exploration missions are planned until 2033, supported by both government and commercial funding.

• The main goal of deep space exploration programmes is to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, laying the groundwork for human Mars exploration. Key projects like NASA’s Artemis programme and the China/Russia-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) are spearheading lunar exploration.

  Both alliances have published scientific objectives and guidelines to manage their respective exploration programs. The Artemis programme aims to return astronauts to the Moon, with milestones including the Artemis-2 crewed flyby mission in 2025 and the Artemis-3 crewed lunar landing in 2026.

  Meanwhile, the ILRS initiative plans to land taikonauts and cosmonauts on the Moon after 2030, backed by cooperation agreements with several countries. The global and multi-stakeholder nature of these programmes necessitates a renewed focus on complex infrastructure across various technical fields, planetary environmental stewardship, and legal and collaborative frameworks.

  The Outer Space Treaty serves as the foundational pillar for multilateral space governance. Enacted in 1967, the treaty constitutes an international agreement on the peaceful use and exploration of outer space, prohibiting the placement of nuclear weapons in space and the sovereignty claims by any nation over celestial bodies.

• The Moon Agreement of 1979 aims to govern the activities of states on the Moon, particularly concerning resource exploitation. However, although it represents binding international law for its 17 signatory parties, it has not yet been ratified by those countries most likely to lead missions that will focus on space resource activities in the coming years.

  In 2019, the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPOUS) adopted the ‘Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities’, which provide extensive guidance on policy, regulatory frameworks, safety, and international cooperation.

  Meanwhile, NASA’s Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. Thus far, NASA and the space agencies of 43 countries have signed them.

  Sustainability in space activities involves conducting them in an environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially responsible manner. As several countries have already outlined in their submissions to the UNCOPUOS Space Resources Working Group, key aspects include minimizing space debris, preventing contamination, and advancing technologies for responsible resource management.