The space resources fund: A solution to the space resources benefit sharing dilemma?
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This article investigates the use of a bespoke fund, the Space Resources Fund (SRF), to facilitate monetary benefit sharing from commercial space resource activities, and at the same time provide a source of funding for a developing space resource industry. The study investigates the possible objectives such a fund could have and compares these to range of terrestrial fund types that could have similar objectives. We find that there is no one fund type that could meet the possible objectives for a SRF, however, by combining several fund types, it is possible to construct a dedicated fund that meets the objectives initially developed. The study proposes a fund with the Double Bottom Line of both generating monetary benefits from commercial space resource activity and providing investment capital to a space resources industry. The study also proposes a possible strategy, structure and funding mechanism for the SRF and undertakes high level financial modelling to illustrate the wealth creation potential of such a fund. Further, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approach proposed in this study compared to the use of a royalty mechanism for monetary benefit sharing, should monetary benefit sharing ultimately be proposed, by the UN Committee On the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) for example. This work builds on previous work that reviews the ongoing debate concerning benefit sharing from commercial space resource activities and explores the use of royalties for such monetary benefit sharing in the context of commercial lunar ice mining. We conclude that a SRF as proposed here could help resolve the long standing dilemma of how to facilitate monetary benefit sharing from commercial space resource activity without impacting the development of such an industry.
Source: Space Policy
Institution: UNSW Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,300
OpenAlex ID: W4404727964