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Who owns Outer Space? Could Elon Musk become President of Mars? How would one negotiate a treaty with aliens? The first of these questions is already a matter of diplomatic dispute; the other two could soon follow. For Space has become a very busy place, with 114 orbital and deep space launches occurring in 2018 alone. Many of the governance challenges that currently exist on Earth will soon exist in Space. Yet the unique conditions of Space, including extremes of danger, distance and time, will necessarily require fundamental changes to the conduct of international relations and the content of international law.

Michael Byers holds the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia, where he co-directs the Outer Space Institute. His research focuses on Outer Space, the Arctic, climate change, armed conflict, and Canadian foreign and defence policy. Dr. Byers has been a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford University, and a Professor of Law at Duke University. He has also taught as a visiting professor at the Universities of Cape Town, Tel Aviv, and Novosibirsk. Dr. Byers is a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail newspaper.