Press Release
Space is rapidly becoming congested and contested, with a handful of commercial operators racing to take up vital strips of Low Earth Orbit crucial for everything, from navigation in cars and phones to financial transactions – as outlined in a new report by the Global Space Council, a group of leading space experts and astronauts.
The report outlines that existing global governance frameworks are no longer sufficient to address the risks that emerging technologies pose to security, sovereignty, and future access to space. It calls on national governments and regional organizations to act now by adopting ambitious market access rules and sustainability requirements.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chair of the Global Space Council and former NATO Secretary General, said: “Space is a global commons and a strategic domain — but that foundation is under threat. Earth’s orbits are filling faster than the rules designed to govern them. Space is a shared resource critical to the functioning of our societies, and its governance must be strengthened urgently. Three challenges demand attention: scarce resources are being squeezed, strategic dependencies are undermining sovereignty, and international rules are no longer fit for purpose. The space in space is shrinking — and without action, access will become less secure and less fair for all.”
The GSC report outlines concrete recommendations for national, regional, and international regulators:
- An international space governance architecture representative of the interests of all nations.
- Updated Space Traffic Management rules to prevent catastrophic situations.
- Fair and shared access to spectrum.
- Rules that make market access contingent upon compliance with practices protecting a responsible use of outer space.
- Improved end-of-life practices in orbit.
The report was launched at a high-level event on 22 April 2026 in Brussels featuring contributions from across the space and policy community, including an opening address by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, keynotes by Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director General of Vietnam National Space Center, and Tania Villa Trapala, Commissioner at Mexico’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, and remarks by Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space.
Read the full report here: A new governance model for a safe and open Space
Key fact
In the first sixty years of space activity, around 8,000 satellites were launched. Since 2020, more than 11,000 have been deployed — with projections exceeding 50,000 by the end of the decade.
About the Global Space Council
The Global Space Council (GSC) was launched in 2025 by Rasmussen Global, founded by former NATO Secretary General and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and member of the European Space Agency’s High Level Advisory Group. The GSC brings together a group of leaders and experts committed to confronting the accelerating governance crisis in outer space — and to producing actionable, concrete recommendations for governments around the world.
In their personal capacities, members include:
Agostinho Linhares, Brazil: Executive Director of the Instituto de Pesquisa para Economia Digital – Digital Economy Research Institute.
Marietje Schaake, The Netherlands: Non-Resident Fellow at the Stanford University Cyber Policy Centre and former Member of the European Parliament.
Tidiane Ouattara, Ivory Coast: President of the Space Council of the African Space Agency.
Boris Otter, Switzerland: Founding President of Swiss Space Tourism.
Xavier Pasco, France: Director of the Foundation for Strategic Research.
Nicolas Walter, France: CEO of the European Science Foundation.
Ranjana Kaul, India: Partner at Dua Associates, Vice-President of the International Institute for Space Law, and Subject Matter Expert on the National Advisory Committee of the Indian Space Association.
Masami Onoda, Japan: Director of the International Relations and Research Department at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Katya Echazarreta, Mexico: Founder of the Fundación Espacial and Space for Humanity, Citizen Astronaut
Sara Sabry, Egypt: Astronaut, Engineer, and CEO at STRIVE and Deep Space Initiative
Brian Gallant, Canada: CEO of Space Canada and former Premier of New Brunswick
For more information, please email media@rasmusssenglobal.com