Editor's note: Zhang Fan, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor of the Astronomy Department of Beijing Normal University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The International Day of Human Space Flight – April 12 – approaches in the middle of a tectonic shift in the space exploration narrative. We, humans, are no longer merely spectators or explorers; we are on the precipice of becoming exploiters.

The romantic era of flags and footprints is over. The current decade marks the transition into the utilization phase, where the economic and strategic value of off-world resources will be fiercely contested.

This transition presents us with a stark choice: We can either replicate the chaotic, often destructive patterns of terrestrial colonialism in space, or we can establish a new code of conduct that recognizes our shared vulnerability and shared destiny. The technical challenges of space are difficult, but they may be eclipsed by the political challenge of overcoming the "mad dash" mentality.

History offers a grim warning against unregulated expansion. When European powers arrived at the New World, the absence of a strong and inclusive governing framework led to a scramble for resources characterized by the "first come, first served" and "latecomers taking by force" doctrines. The result was not progress, but plunder and endless conflicts.

Today, as we look toward the moon's water ice, the mineral wealth of asteroids and the industrial potential of the low-Earth orbit, we see the same specter of the mad dash reappearing. The logic of "prowess equals ownership" may be seductive to individual actors but is catastrophic for the collective. We are past the exploration stage. We are now in the exploitation stage, and the laissez-faire approach that might have been acceptable when space was the domain of the daring may now become a recipe for disaster.

The dangers of fragmentation and chaotic, uncoordinated action are not hypothetical; they are already manifesting in the low-Earth orbit. The rapid deployment of commercial satellite constellations by multiple companies and entities, vying for first come-first served orbital access, often without adequate coordination, has the potential to result in a critical mass of debris that ends up shutting humans out of space altogether.

The Kessler Syndrome – a theoretical scenario of a cascade of collisions where each impact generates more debris, triggering further breakups – is no longer science fiction. It is a mathematical certainty if we fail to manage space traffic. This is the ultimate example of shared pain.

In space, there is no such thing as a private accident; the debris field threatens everyone – the Global North and the Global South, military and civilian, old space powers and new.

If the Kessler Syndrome demonstrates that we suffer consequences collectively, then the solution must be collective governance. This is where the discourse should move beyond piecemeal regulations to broader general principles. To navigate this transition, the international community could look toward building a community with a shared future for mankind. This concept provides the necessary motivation to rein in the first come-first served impulse, asserting instead that all gains must be distributed.

An illustration of this principle can be found in how China's Tiangong space station has become a global service. Unlike the exclusionary history of past space endeavors, it has opened its doors to the entire world, including nations that do not have active space programs of their own.

Through the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, China has selected several international experiments from many countries to conduct research aboard the station, while its shoulders the costs for going up and coming down.

Similarly, China's planned International Lunar Research Station is soliciting partners from all corners and at all levels of organization, from university departments to national agencies. Those interested should contact institutions such as the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In terms of regulatory proposals to realize such a vision, China's Global Governance Initiative offers further safeguards. By advocating for a governance model based on extensive consultation and joint contribution, it seeks to replace the exclusionary clubs of the past with a mechanism that ensures the Global South has a substantive voice from the beginning, preempting the latecomers taking the stage by force.

The path forward requires us to look back. We should recognize that the mad dash of the past led to centuries of war and inequality. We cannot afford to make the same mistake with the new frontier. The International Day of Human Space Flight should be a day of reflection, not just celebration.

We possess the technical capability to live and work in space. What we need is the political maturity to govern ourselves there. By establishing binding international frameworks that guarantee equitable access and enforce responsible behavior, we can ensure that the final frontier becomes and stays a domain of peace, and not repeat one of humanity's bloody chapters. The time for the mad dash is over; the era of shared stewardship must begin.

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