Originally from Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation

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Outer-space exploration has, for decades, been an issue of major interest at the international level. The military-inspired space race was the hallmark of the Cold War, fueling the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Even after the Soviet Union’s demise, the United States maintained an active role in outer-space exploration.

For example, in 2004, President George W. Bush announced ambitious space exploration goals. Nowadays, we are witnessing a new phenomenon, which is the increased role of private entities in space exploration and space-related activities, as well as the Trump Administration’s interest in militarizing space.

In fact, as of 2013, the private sector amounted to the 76% lion’s share of all space-related expenses, while government expenditures were limited to the remaining 24% of the global space economy. Since these privately-funded space endeavors have a much larger scope, it is likely that their activities will result in more complicated legal consequences.