Space Sustainability: The Global Commons

Abstract

Space is no longer a distant, barely reachable frontier of scientific exploration; it has become a critical infrastructure for life on Earth and a rapidly expanding zone of intense commercial activity. Yet this expansion is unfolding in ways that replicate, and amplify, the unsustainable dynamics already driving ecological and social crises on our planet. This chapter explains the concept of space sustainability as a multidimensional challenge; it raises the questions of governance, knowledge, power, justice, and global responsibility. It highlights both the profound benefits derived from space activities and the uneven distribution of costs and risks, from orbital debris and atmospheric impacts to privatization of essential services. We therefore argue that it frames space as a global commons that demands stewardship rather than pure exploitation, cooperation rather than competition, and governance that prioritizes long-term wellbeing rather than laissez-faire approach. Sustainability in space is inseparable from sustainability on Earth. This chapter invites readers, whether they are space administration and industry actors, policymakers, scientists, or simply engaged citizens, to see space not as a limitless frontier, but as a shared domain whose future depends on collective choices made today.