Polycentricity and Space Governance
As space activity becomes more diverse and fragmented, traditional top-down models of governance are increasingly strained. This report by Claire Oto applies the concept of polycentricity—a governance system where multiple authorities operate concurrently over a shared domain—to outer space. The brief positions polycentricity not as a design choice, but as an inevitable feature of space governance today.
Core insights:
- Space governance is already polycentric, with decision-making distributed across international, national, and subnational actors—including governments, companies, NGOs, and multilateral bodies.
- Oto introduces a practical governance matrix (based on barriers to entry and risk to operations) to help determine which level of governance is best suited for any given space activity.
- The framework is applied to three real-world cases:
- Artemis lunar landing sites (high barrier, high risk → international level)
- Space traffic management (lower barrier, moderate risk → national/subnational interplay)
- Anti-satellite weapon testing bans (high barrier, catastrophic risk → international regulation)
The report draws comparisons to other polycentric governance domains, including:
- Environmental management (e.g., Montreal Protocol, Clean Air Act)
- Maritime regulation (e.g., commercial whaling and lobster fisheries)
- Cyber and AI governance, which similarly straddle hard/soft law, private/public actors, and rapid tech evolution
Oto argues that embracing the “messiness” of polycentric governance offers more agility, inclusiveness, and resilience than attempts to centralize control. She also highlights challenges ahead, particularly around attribution and accountability in a fragmented landscape of multinational actors and overlapping authorities.
See matrix on page 8: "Framework for Polycentric Space Governance," plotting space issues by entry barriers and operational risk.
Includes case studies, governance comparisons across sectors, and references to Ostrom, Olson, and Shackelford.
