HANDBOOK FOR
NEW ACTORS IN SPACE
Space is rapidly changing. Every year, more numerous
and more diverse actors embark on increasingly novel,
innovave, and disrupve ventures in outer space. They are
joining the more than 70 states, commercial companies,
and internaonal organizaons currently operang over
1,500 satellites in Earth orbit.
The prospects are bright; accessing and exploring outer
space now require less capital investment, less me, and
fewer people than ever before. However, this rapid pace of
growth and change exists in a complex landscape of legal,
regulatory, polical, technical, and administrave issues.
New actors in space face a steep learning curve and will
stress exisng instuons and governance frameworks.
Addionally, the inherently dicult and fragile nature of
the space environment means that accidents or mistakes in
space might aect us all.
In considering the great possibilies for growth and
innovaon, and in light of the myriad and interlinked
challenges new space acvies will confront, the Secure
World Foundaon oers this Handbook for New Actors
in Space in the hopes that it will assist all aspiring new
entrants—whether governmental or non-governmental—
in planning and conducng space acvies in a safe and
sustainable manner.
