South Africa’s space odyssey : to the moon and beyond

Abstract

The concept of outer space exploration has always been perceived as an abstract idea explored through sci-fi movies and comics. Over the years, this abstract idea seems to have developed into reality. With the emergence of new research by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the recent technological advancement by aerospace companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, not only has outer space exploration become topical, but it has also sparked different views within the legal fraternity. Since the first Outer Space Treaty was signed in 1967, outer space research has advanced tremendously through outer space exploration. As worldwide research uncovers the benefits of outer space exploration and technology, it is imperative that the regulations of the outer space exploration industry be updated to regulate these new possibilities. As the spacefaring nations develop their policies to allow for current and future possibilities such as asteroid mining, it may seem as though African states such as South Africa have been left behind. Not only has the involvement of African states in outer space exploration become critical to fostering economic development, but it has also presented the opportunity for African states to contribute strategically to global legal and economic debates. This begs the question of the involvement of African states in space exploration activities, particularly South Africa, which is one of the leading economies on the continent. What legislation is South Africa developing to gain investor security and to encourage space exploration activities? What can South Africa learn from other countries that have been leading research in the aerospace industry, such as the USA, Russia and China? What value can be extracted from the collaboration of African countries through the African Union? Lastly, what socio-economic issues may be solved by space exploration and the possibility of space mining? With these key questions in mind, this study seeks to investigate the development of policies by South Africa that conform to international law. It investigates how South Africa may improve its policies to take full advantage of the freedoms granted in Article I of the Outer Space Treaty, and the socio-economic issues that may be solved by space exploration and the possibility of space mining.