The UN’s Effort to Prevent an Arms Race in Outer Space

Building on the broad consensus in favour of preventing an arms race in outer space, the UN has tried to develop further measures to strengthen the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Geopolitical tensions have limited progress on this, but a new UN effort has concluded its initial year of a four-year mandate and is due to have a report out in 2028. Paul Meyer examines the turbulent history of space security diplomacy and discusses the four major areas in the new working group where significant disagreement persists among major spacefaring countries.