A new space age has begun. But how do we prevent geopolitical tensions on Earth from spilling over into space? Nayef Al-Rodhan argues that with over 200 launches taking place in 2024, the creation of the United States Space Force, and with a potential, human-manned mission to Mars upcoming, we need a new politics of space for the new space age. Al-Rodhan argues, due to the harshness of space, individual rights in space must trump the rights of nations. While ownership claims, say for Mars, cannot be made purely on the basis of who gets there first.