Space, Netflix | Look up! Space can become a war zone

The film “Do not look up” is good satire, humor and social criticism. It is also closer to reality than you might think.

In the film, we meet the eccentric multi-billionaire Peter. Peter has made a fortune collecting personal data and selling it for advertising purposes. He also has a space program similar to Elon Musk’s Space X program. Now he is looking for valuable resources in space, and gets the American president with him.

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Looking for minerals

There is an acute shortage in the world of minerals needed for battery production. This has become a big bottleneck in the green transition. Minerals are also needed for new electronics, such as mobile phones and computers.

These minerals, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, and lesser known as lantanium, neodymium and yttrium, are widely found on planets and asteroids. Many now predict that technology is approaching a point where they can be recovered and brought back to Earth. Mining from the moon is planned. It may be appropriate to tow asteroids closer to make mining easier. In addition, it is relevant to bring home valuable resources such as water, hydrogen, and silicone.

The night sky disappears

Until just a few years ago, there were few satellites in space. With the goal of giving the world population better internet access, SpaceX plans to deploy 1,000 new ones a year. The plan is a total of 40,000 satellites organized in “shells” they call Starlink. They are far from alone.

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In addition to countries such as the United States and China, several private operators have the plans ready. The International Telecommunication Union, which controls various radio frequencies, estimates that 100,000 satellites could be launched by 2030.

Take an extra look up. The Economist track namely that this may mean the end of the starry sky as we know it. The light pollution will no longer only come from Earth, but from satellites that cast shadows on planets and stars, and will make the job difficult for astronomers and interested stargazers. There is today again regulation for how strong light a satellite can have.

A new war zone

More serious: Satellites can form the basis for electronic warfare. When the communication systems are paralyzed, it will do great damage.

In addition, many military systems now rely on space technology to function optimally. Satellites are not just a potential target for hostile attacks, they need internet infrastructure. Control over it gives great power.

The new space race

Previously, only the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, had enough resources to launch a space rocket. Now technology has made it possible for more people to participate.

The world’s richest tech moguls led by Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. China is on the field, but a small country like Luxenburg has also been early in drafting a regulatory framework for rights to minerals and other resources in space.

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Big questions remain unanswered: When resources are to be brought back to earth, who has the rights to something that everyone and no one owns? How do we regulate ownership and extraction of minerals in space? Everyone has a responsibility not to pollute and litter, but who sanctions violations?

Who owns?

Space is not completely lawless. The 1967 Space Treaty is signed by all space nations and has statutory status. It states that no nation can claim ownership of a space object such as a star or planet. For example, no one can say that they own the moon. But the treaty, for example, says little about the right to extract resources.

Eight countries (UK, Italy, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxenburg and the United Arab Emirates) have signed specific principles and guidelines for exploring the moon (Artemis Accords). These are important and can set a precedent. But not everyone is involved. Russia and China, for example, have refused to deal with them.

The sea

Joint regulation must be in place. Inspiration can be taken from how we have regulated the sea areas. For a long time, the sea was also a kind of no-man’s land. It is now largely regulated through international conventions. The United Nations Maritime Law (UNCLOS) states that the deep sea is the common property of the entire earth’s population, what the UN calls the “common heritage of mankind”.

A separate authority, the International Seabed Authority, regulates the extraction of resources in the deep sea. One could imagine a similar system when minerals are retrieved from space.

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Avoid space wars

The 1967 Space Treaty was actually an arms control agreement. It states that activity in space should be peaceful and benefit all of humanity. New international agreements and cooperation must be put in place, and ownership of space resources must be better clarified.

This is urgent. If that does not happen, it will be the richest and most powerful people in the world to make the most of it. In the worst case, the lack of regulation could end in space war.

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