space-commercialization-barriers

The chapter examines the unfulfilled promises of space exploration since the Cold War, focusing on the technological and political obstacles that have hindered space industrialization and the establishment of property rights. It critiques the Outer Space Treaty for its ambiguous stance on sovereignty and economic development, while arguing that technology, rather than international law, remains the primary barrier to private enterprise in space. The author warns against dismantling the existing international legal framework, emphasizing the risks of legal uncertainty and conflict, and underscores the importance of international cooperation and geopolitical stability in the future governance of outer space.

The chapter critically examines the challenges of developing a sustainable interplanetary political economy, emphasizing the immense technical and economic barriers to space commercialization, particularly the high costs and physical limits of current propulsion technologies. It contrasts state-driven technocracy with market-driven technoeconomy, arguing for a balanced government-private partnership to build the necessary transplanetary infrastructure. The text further explores governance models for space settlements within the constraints of international space law, advocating for cooperative regimes over privatization to avoid conflict and manage commons responsibly, while projecting new medievalism as a framework for future interplanetary sovereignty and economic relations shaped by gravitational advantages and evolving political-economic dynamics.