-90% of the respondents have concerns about space militarization

-93.5% demand international agreements governing the equitable distribution of space resources

-80.7% fear potential conflicts between international space systems

-38.8% have some knowledge of space legislations in their own countries

Trends Research and Advisory revealed the results of an elite opinion poll, conducted by its Global Barometer Department, on “Space Uses and Regulations.” The opinion poll measures the opinions of experts and specialists on the future of space exploration and the legislations that regulate its uses. It identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the global space industry.

The survey results concluded that the vast majority of respondents, about 93.5%, demand binding international agreements governing the fair and equitable distribution of space resources, while 90.3% of the experts and specialists believe that space regulation is important to guarantee responsible use.

Potential Conflicts over Space

All respondents stressed the importance of establishing common international standards for space exploration and use, while 80.7% of the respondents expressed concerns about potential conflicts between international space systems. However, the vast majority of respondents (90.3%) are concerned about the possible militarization of space.

About 93.5% of the respondents also believe that private space companies should be subjected to international regulations to ensure responsible practices, while 87.1% support international cooperation in the field of space exploration. On knowledge of space legislations in their countries. 45.2% said they do not know about it, while 38.8% said that they have some knowledge of space legislations in their countries.

Need for Enforced Laws and Regulations

Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of the Trends Research and Advisory, said that outer space has become a source of countless explorations and discoveries that benefit all humanity. He added that with the development of space exploration technologies and their increasing importance, it has become necessary to develop binding international legislations to regulate the use of space. Accordingly, the Trends survey to measure the opinion of experts and specialists on the uses of space and the need for its regulations is quite significant.

Dr. Al-Ali stressed that the laws regulating the use of space provide a clear legal framework for the exploration and use of outer space. This maintains security and stability in space, and promotes international cooperation. It contributes to the economic and scientific development of all countries.

The CEO of Trends indicated that the survey, which lasted for two months, assessed the regulatory realities of the growing space sector. It provided insightful scientific recommendations that contribute to the development of the sector, and enhance deep understanding about the prominent opportunities and challenges facing this sector.

Environmental Impacts and Challenges

Sultan Majid Al-Ali, Director of the Global Barometer Department at Trends, said that the survey of “space uses and Regulations” found that most of the respondents (74.2%) are optimistic about the potential contribution of space technologies to solving the environmental challenges facing the Planet Earth, while 58.1% believe that space exploration can contribute significantly to technological progress on Earth. However, two-thirds of the respondents expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact of space exploration activities.

Sultan Majid Al-Ali said that 61.3% of the respondents believe that private companies and government agencies should unite efforts to take the lead in future space exploration endeavors, while 48.4% believe that space exploration and development should be regulated through national laws and international agreements.

The Director of the Global Barometer Department said that the results of the survey revealed that 64.5% of the respondents believe that private space companies shall prioritize safety and environmental concerns without the need for strict regulations, and 54.8% supported the idea of private companies extracting and using resources from celestial bodies, In fact, 33.3% believe that international cooperation in the field of space exploration can bring public benefits and promote scientific research in societies, while 45.2% of the respondents do not trust the current international efforts to prevent an arms race.