Space Governance & Human Rights
The legal and institutional frameworks governing outer space were written for a different era. These facts illuminate why new governance — grounded in human rights — is urgently needed.
The foundational framework for international space law — the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space — was opened for signature in 1967. It has been ratified by 114 nations, yet it predates commercial spaceflight entirely.
The internationally recognized boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space sits at approximately 100 kilometers altitude. Everything that crosses this threshold — crewed or uncrewed — enters a legal and governance vacuum that existing treaties were never designed to address at scale.
As of recent estimates, more than 2,800 active satellites orbit Earth, with thousands more planned under commercial mega-constellation programs. No single UN body currently holds a mandate to govern the cumulative environmental and rights implications of this expansion.
The United Nations has produced five major treaties governing outer space activities: the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue Agreement, the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention, and the Moon Agreement. Fewer than 20 nations have ratified the Moon Agreement — the most recent and most comprehensive.
No existing UN office holds an explicit mandate to integrate human rights standards into the governance of space launches, landings, and orbital operations. UNOLL is proposed to fill this gap — ensuring that the communities most affected by space infrastructure have a voice in its development.
All 193 UN member states are stakeholders in the governance of outer space. Yet access to space — and the economic benefits it generates — remains concentrated among a small number of technologically advanced nations and private corporations. UNOLL would work to broaden equitable participation.
The case for a dedicated UN office has never been stronger.