Abstract
The prospect of commercial resource extraction from Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) presents unprecedented opportunities for the expansion of human presence in the solar system, alongside severe ethical, geopolitical, and regulatory dilemmas. NEAs harbor vast reserves of volatile compounds, precious metals, and industrial rare-earth elements essential for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) and terrestrial technological development. However, current international space law, anchored primarily by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the sparsely ratified 1979 Moon Agreement, leaves substantial ambiguity regarding private property rights, non-appropriation mandates, and equitable wealth distribution. This paper proposes an empirical and normative framework for international governance and benefit sharing modeled after polycentric regulatory systems and the Common Heritage of Mankind principle, adapted specifically to NEA utilization. Utilizing a comparative policy matrix, quantitative game-theoretic modeling of extraction-incentive equilibria, and stakeholder Delphi surveys across 42 space-faring and non-space-faring nations, we evaluate governance architectures across criteria of economic viability, scientific preservation, environmental sustainability, and distributive justice. Our findings indicate that a tiered multilateral licensing mechanism—coupling prioritized orbital registry with a universal technological transfer and capacity-building fund—substantially mitigates conflict risks while preserving private investment incentives. We conclude that proactive governance is critical to prevent the commodification of outer space from exacerbating existing terrestrial inequalities.
