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THE INSURABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY SPACE ACTIVITIES
S. Paradis
SMD. 2025;(1):37-46
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OPEN ACCESSTOWARDS A CUSTOMARY CRYSTALLIZATION OF ANTI-DEBRIS NORMS?
A. Chazelle
SMD. 2025;(1):68-77
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OPEN ACCESSNAVIGATING THE STARS: A CALL FOR COMPREHENSIVE SPACE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
N. Moraitis
SMD. 2025;(1):17-21
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OPEN ACCESSEDITORIAL: SPACE SUSTAINABILITY IN AN UNSUSTAINABLEWORLD
L. Rapp
SMD. 2025;(1):3-6
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OPEN ACCESSSAFEGUARDING THE SKIES: BALANCING SPACE SUSTAINABILITY WITH INDIGENOUS RIGHTS PROTECTIONS
D. kasibante
SMD. 2025;(1):112-120
Show summaryHide summaryThe accelerating deployment of commercial satellite mega-constellations in low Earth orbit is posing an existential threat to indigenous communities in Africa who have maintained deep cultural and spiritual connections to unobstructed night skies for millennia. The artificial brightening of the heavens from tens of thousands of new orbital objects risks severing ancestral traditions, knowledge systems, agricultural cycles, and cosmological worldviews inextricably tied to celestial observations and cosmic relationships. This raises profound human rights implications, as international legal instruments enshrine indigenous peoples’ rights to maintain intangible cultural heritage, self-governance over traditional lands and resources, and free, prior and informed consent regarding imposed activities affecting them. However, existing space governance policies and regulatory frameworks lack adequate enforceability and specific guidelines to balance satellite industry interests with preserving dark skies and radio quietness relied upon by vulnerable populations. This paper examines the historical and contemporary significance of celestial visibility across African Indigenous groups, the disruptive impacts of projected satellite proliferation, and the legal and ethical obligations to uphold indigenous rights equitably as space exploration rapidly expands. Case studies of threatened communities like the Maasai and San peoples underscore how satellite light pollution compounds broader environmental justice challenges. Potential policy reforms are proposed to bridge current governance gaps, such as mandating comprehensive cultural impact assessments, structured community consent processes, mitigation liability guidelines, and empowering Indigenous oversight integrated into space policy and legal instruments. Ultimately, realizing the full socially sustainable potential of space activities requires holistically recognizing Indigenous peoples as key stakeholders and upholding principles of environmental justice as humanity’s shared cosmic heritage.
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