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The Space Governance Institute is a veteran owned, U.S. based (New Hampshire) public benefit corporation committed to making the space domain just, equitable, peaceful, sustainable, and democratic for the entire international community.
Outer space belongs to us all--all humankind. Despite this, it is being captured, occupied, monopolized, militarized, and jeopardized by a small number of powerful, well-resourced countries, corporations, billionaires, and elites. This is unacceptable. It threatens our rule of law systems, our environment, our communications, our safety, our national and international security, our financial stability, and our way of life.
The current approach to space also further marginalizes and subjugates low and middle income nations (particularly formerly colonized nations that continue to struggle against internationally imposed structural barriers) by appropriating their share of space resources without legitimate democratically generated consent.
Through our advocacy efforts and initiatives, we strive to reduce and resolve the many current threats to outer space. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about how you can join us in making a difference for the future of outer space and humankind.
See our About SGI page for more information.
A public benefit corporation (PBC) in the state of New Hampshire is a for-profit company that also must serve one or more specific benefits to the general public. Unlike other for-profit companies, where the business decisions must primarily focus on maximizing profit and shareholder value, PBCs are required to create a materially positive effect on society and the environment.
Generally, the study of philosophy and the investigation of philosophical ideas and concepts are essential for understanding the big picture and big questions that relate to any important domain of human affairs. We start with the most important philosophical questions: What constitutes justice? What constitutes the public good? What constitutes the good life?
Until we wrestle with, and at least try to answer, these questions for outer space--as a precursor to developing a legitimate system of governance--we are doomed to fall into what Thomas Hobbes called "the state of nature." In the state of nature, Hobbes describes life as, "In such condition there is no place for industry... no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." (Leviathan, i. xiii. 9, emphasis added).
SGI's mission is to make the space domain just, equitable, peaceful, sustainable, and democratic for the entire international community. To do this, we first have to answer the following questions: what does a just, peaceful, sustainable, and democratic outer space look like and how can it be achieved?
By applying philosophical traditions and disciplines, we can then start to build effective governance frameworks and structures for governing outer space. Two key disciplines that SGI applies are: (1) Ethics (the philosophical study of moral principles and phenomena), and (2) Social Contract Theory (the philosophical study of how individuals and groups form legitimate states and governments).
SGI elected to incorporate as a PBC for three primary reasons:
SGI has three primary sources of funding: revenue derived from the services we offer clients and sponsors, donations, and paid Substack subscriptions.
No. This is intentional on the part of SGI. As a for-profit public benefit corporation, SGI offers donors increased privacy protection that does not exist for those who seek to claim donations as a tax deduction. This enhanced protection includes keeping both the donor's personal data, as well as the details of their donations, anonymous.
We believe that, for the space domain, this added anonymity and privacy protection is absolutely critical. Many individuals and entities are hesitant or fearful to publicly disclose their support for laws, regulations, and policies to reign in powerful governments, the military industrial complex, corporations, and billionaires that are engaged in the exploitation of outer space.
Without anonymity and privacy protections, donors may be at serious risk of professional, financial, or reputational retribution or harm at the hands of these entities and individuals--entities and individuals who, with their superior resources, actively oppose and fight against efforts to impose a more robust ethical, legal, and regulatory international governance framework for outer space.
Because of our emphasis on privacy protections, we ask our donors to think of your contributions in the same manner as you would to a political action or issue advocacy organization, or other cause where your donations fund crucial work that aligns with your ethics, but is not tax deductible.
The best way to help support us is through donations, enlisting us to provide our offered services, and subscribing to us on Substack.
Because SGI is a registered lobbying organization, donations will be put to immediate use to support lobbying (on SGI's own behalf) Congress and covered Executive branch officials on all SGI initiatives (see our "initiatives" page).
Because SGI also provides legal advocacy and services, donations will be used to support impact litigation when and where needed.
Donations and funding from paid Substack subscriptions will also be used to support all of SGI's pubic education efforts:
Revenue is also crucial to SGI's operations and ability to effect change. You can help by hiring us, or referring us to others in need, to perform any of our offered services.
SGI provides the opportunity for you to sign online petitions in support of new treaties. We also provided letter templates that you may sign and send to your leaders in Congress, in the Executive branch, or any other government organization (national or international). As specific legislation or ballot measures are proposed that support space governance, SGI will make this information available on our website and provide a means for you to make your voice and support known and counted. See our "Initiatives" page for active petitions, letter writing campaigns, etc.
SGI's Substack page is an essential mechanism for our public education initiatives. We have the folloiwing offerings for our Substack subscribers:
Named for the Greek Goddess of law, legislation, governance, and good order, The Eunomia Accords is intended to be a direct counter to the U.S. Artemis Accords and China/Russia's International Lunar Research Station agreement. Both the Artemis Accords and ILRS are agreements among nations to exploit the Moon and other celestial bodies in violation of the Outer Space Treaty.
The Eunomia Accords will be an opportunity for both nations and organizations to assert and pledge that celestial bodies may only be exploited through an international agreement (such as the Moon Treaty or similar treaty) and and organization. The Eunomia Accords will also assert that all space resources are the Common Heritage of Humankind and cannot be owned or appropriated by any state, private entity, corporation, or individual.
SGI will draft The Eunomia Accords after research, consultation, deliberation, and review from space experts and organizations that support the effort. The Accords will then be offered for signature by willing representatives of states and organizations.
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