Mining in space: the role of arbitration in the new frontier

The global space industry represents an extraordinary commercial opportunity, with market valuations projected to surpass USD 1 trillion by 2030. This expansion is being driven by significant capital deployment from both public and private investors, with space resource extraction emerging as one of the sector's most lucrative prospects.

Yet, as commercial actors and governments race to capitalise on this new frontier, they face a legal and regulatory environment that remains largely uncharted and, in critical respects, ill-equipped for modern commercial realities. While existing international treaties provide a foundation, they fall short of addressing the sophisticated legal challenges generated by the sector's rapid commercialisation - particularly around space mining ventures.