Towards a sustainable lunar economy : incentivizing and regulating future lunar ventures in a quest for a sustainable long-term presence
- Paper number
IAC-24,E3,3,2,x84047
- Author
Mr. Luinaud Mathieu, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory (PwC), France
- Coauthor
Mr. Alessandro Calzi, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory (PwC), France
- Coauthor
Mrs. Cecile Gaubert, France
- Coauthor
Ms. Marie Sulaberidze, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory (PwC), France
- Year
2024
- Abstract
Recent years have displayed an increased interest for lunar activities, with the emergence of new business plans or the development of complexified lunar exploration projects that include permanent human settlement on our natural satellite. This, in turn, translates into an increased attention for cooperation frameworks and regulations to address cislunar activities as well as the exploitation lunar resources. Warry of the increased importance the concept of sustainability is vested with in the space sector, and the importance of a public narrative around the environmental impact of space activities, this paper explores the different dimensions that surround and condition the sustainability of lunar activities in the years to come. We begin this paper with a brief overview of the different dimensions the sustainability of space activities have taken in the public narrative, to highlight three key focal points: the environmental dimension, both in space and on the lunar surface, the economic & industrial sustainability of lunar activities and finally its ethical considerations. We then proceed by progressively zooming-in on cislunar and lunar activities. We begin with an analysis of the cislunar logistics market, looking at the determinants of the economic sustainability of in-orbit logistics that are a founding stone for any sustainable long-term presence of humans on the moon while also looking at the issues of space traffic management (STM) in cislunar territory. This incursion also allows us to reflect on the opportunity to start regulating the access to lunar orbits in order to avoid future congestions or interferences in the wake of the increased number of satellites to be positioned around the moon in order to enable a proper lunar economy via PNT, remote sensing and lunar communications. We then deep dive on the core section of this paper by focusing on lunar activities: we explore what business models will allow us to build a sustainable lunar economy, one that prevents over-monopolization and unlocks proper public-private partnerships on the moon, while also pointing out the lunar environment risks that can be associated with an unchecked lunar economy and lunar exploration agenda. We then close this paper with a set of recommendations that leverage 3 different dimensions to support the emergence of a sustainable lunar economy agenda: the regulatory framework, the market-based incentives for a competitive and competition-friendly lunar economy and the technological bricks to be developed in the years to come for a sustainable long-term presence on the moon.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-24,E3,3,2,x84047.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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