Bridging Legal Gaps: Space Sustainability and Governance Participation from Developing Countries

The exploration and utilization of outer space are no longer the exclusive domain of a handful of technologically advanced nations. As the global space industry diversifies and commercial activities in orbit grow rapidly, there is a rising demand for inclusive, international and multidisciplinary participation in space development and governance. A more interconnected and competitive space ecosystem requires not only scientific and engineering expertise but also contributions from legal, policy, diplomatic and social fields. Within this expanding landscape, the inclusion of young professionals and emerging talent from developing regions, particularly Latin America, is crucial to building a sustainable and representative space future. Despite global efforts to promote equity and international cooperation, professionals from Latin American countries continue to face significant barriers to entering the space sector. These challenges stem from external regulatory restrictions, such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and internal structural limitations, including insufficient investment in national space programs and education. This paper argues that Latin American exclusion from the global space workforce is not merely a result of technical or financial limitations but of systemic legal and policy inequities that perpetuate inequality. By using space law as both a lens and a tool, it examines the intersection between international regulatory frameworks and regional institutional weaknesses to propose actionable pathways, legal reforms, policy advocacy, and educational innovation, toward a more inclusive and equitable global space sector.