Ensuring equal access to the benefits of space technologies for all countries

There is a concern in the developing world that industrialized countries have not done all they might under Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty to make the benefits of space technology available to all countries; some are now seeking codification of rights and responsibilities in this sphere. This article discusses recent debate on the issues by COPUOS and its Legal Subcommittee on whether an additional legal framework is necessary to ensure a fairer distribution of benefits. G77 countries were strongly in favour of some form of technology and information transfer, while industrialized countries favoured the existing practice of developing international cooperative space projects. The author believes that a new set of principles will be formulated in the next few years and that organizations like Intelsat and Inmarsat can provide valuable models for ensuring access through cooperative programmes.     

ISU design projects : A new instrument for shaping global space policy?

The author argues that students attending the International Space University (ISU) are becoming a force to be reckoned with in space activities thanks to their enthusiasm, dedication and their Design Projects tackling major technological issues. This article reviews previous projects, before focusing on those of 1993 and 1994, and analyses whether they can be seen as agents for change in space policy making. Key ‘selling points’ are the ‘students’ non-rigid approach to thinking and doing, their refusal to believe in the intractability of any problem and the appeal their novel coalition may have for political leaders.     

UNCOPUOS 50 years on: Assessing current dynamics and exploring its future role

UNCOPUOS recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and has a range of achievements to show for it. But it is now very different – in both type and number of members – from the organization established at the start of the Cold War and needs to consider its future direction. An obvious topic to pursue is the long-term sustainability (LTS) of space activities, which, after some false starts, has now been adopted. One Working, and Four Expert, Groups have been set up to examine different aspects of the subject, though care must be taken to ensure that these are properly integrated into a multidisciplinary framework. Despite valid objections that LTS could be used to deny access to space to latecomers to the club, it is important to proceed with LTS while taking account of delegations' concerns.     

Space development: social and political implications

Far-reaching social and political issues are implicit in any discussion of large-scale space development. This Viewpoint argues that the evolution of appropriate political institutions to deal with these issues is likely to be at least as important as the development of new technology. If large-scale space development is to take place, global international cooperation will be essential and such cooperation will have to be underpinned by enhanced institutional and legal structures. In the shorter term, an appropriate institutional response may be the creation of a World Space Agency. However, in the longer term, we should probably view a world space programme as falling within that class of global concerns that would be most appropriately managed by a federal world government.     

Canadian space policy

Canada's geography made it an early leader in the development of space technology, and generated a civilian-oriented, terrestrially focused space programme with a strong focus on communications and an increasing emphasis on transferring space technology and activity from the government to the private sector. During the 1980s Canada's space programme has strengthened and broadened measurably; its now contains major projects in Earth observation and robotics as well as communications, and has diversified its international partnerships from the USA to Europe. However, persisting weaknesses in launch capability, space science and military space programmes, and the dependence of all three current major projects (Msat, Radarsat, and the International Space Station's Mobile Servicing System) on the USA represent potential vulnerabilities which require national investments and expanded international affiliations if they are to be offset.     

US—Soviet intergovernmental agreement on cooperative space activities : Should it be re-established?

Both political and scientific motives are involved in the possible re-establishment of the US-Soviet Intergovernmental Agreement on Space Cooperation. This article outlines the policy concerns which would have to be addressed in considering a new agreement, from issues of technology transfer and actual scientific benefits, to US political influence on Soviet policies. Some guidelines are offered for future cooperation, on the basis of past experience, and possible long-range cooperative projects are suggested.     

Where is Europe's place in space?

The former Director-General of ESA reviews how Europe got to where it now is in space and highlights the major issues likely to affect it at the moment before discussing the decisions he believes must be made to ensure continuing European succuss in space.     

The US national space transportation policy: issues for congress

Below is a summary of what was to be the first in a series of reports produced by the Office of Technology Assessment (now defunct) on policy for the USA's future space transportation technology and industrial base. It examines the Clinton Administration's 1994 National Space Transportation Policy and supporting implementation plans and raises and analyses such issues as conflicts and redundancies within NASA and DoD space transportation development programs; competition and cooperation with foreign launch vehicle and component providers; US government limits on the conversion of long-range missiles to space launchers in the face of Russian activity in this area; and the effectiveness of Administration efforts to include the private sector in space transportation decision making. Some issues not covered in the Policy are also discussed.     

Potential markets for application of space medicine achievements

The Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) is the lead institution of the Russian Federation in the area of space biology and medicine. It has successfully implemented a set of innovation-based activities and projects to develop and introduce promising space products and technologies into the practices of Earth health care.     

US space transportation policy : History and issues for a new administration

The new US administration faces complex questions on the future role of the USA in space, and tough decisions on how to pay for it. Decisions made now on space transportation will have a strong impact on US space leadership for the next decade. The author discusses the history and current state of space transportation planning, and considers the key issues which will confront the new administration.     

The growing ‘securitization’ of outer space

Discussions of space security tend to recurrently return to the vexed issue of the ‘militarization’ and ‘weaponization’ of outer space. Debate over whether or not a sustainable definition can be maintained between these two concepts has been a feature of both academic and policy discourses, and has been particularly contentious with regard to new proposals for arms control in outer space. Yet, this paper argues, the militarization/weaponization debate fails to capture to vagaries of contemporary space policy with regard to understandings of ‘security’, and is in this sense an insufficient way of approaching the subject of space security in the first instance. Instead it is now more accurate to say that outer space is becoming ever more ‘securitized’: that is, access to space is now commonly framed as crucial to the military, economic and environmental security of leading states and international organizations.     

Why implementing the space option is necessary for society

For several years, specialized agencies have been searching for "new programs" that could reinvigorate the support for space activities and stop their budgets' decline of. But the same time, they have been retrenching by focusing on collecting and distributing information, putting scientific research as their core projects. On a planet soon to host a 10-billion population that will impact the biosphere's workings as never before, at a time when many governments and organizations see the virtue in the management of scarcity, musing on the origins of life and of the solar system can hardly be expected to be invested with high priority. The space option arose from the analysis of the issues confronting humanity. In reviewing the material needs of the human population in the near future, the analysis finds that the impact on the biosphere will perforce be much larger than it usually seems to be acceptable to assume.     

Convergence and technology acceleration in non-safety aeronautical mobile-satellite communications: Policy for the 21st century

Commercial activities from outer space have largely consisted of satellite communications. Whilst the maritime and land-mobile services can now be regarded as mature, the next growth area is anticipated in the provision of non-safety aeronautical mobile-satellite services, a service which is now poised to expand significantly in an era marked by competition and convergence of communications technologies. This article highlights and analyses pertinent institutional, legal and regulatory issues, describing what the law is, while making recommendations relating to what the current law should become if the rules were changed to accord with good policy.     

Policy model for space economy infrastructure

Extraterrestrial infrastructure is key to the development of a space economy. Means for accelerating transition from today's isolated projects to a broad-based economy are considered. A large system integration approach is proposed. The beginnings of an economic simulation model are presented, along with examples of how interactions and coordination bring down costs. A global organization focused on space infrastructure and economic expansion is proposed to plan, coordinate, fund and implement infrastructure construction. This entity also opens a way to raise low-cost capital and solve the legal and public policy issues of access to extraterrestrial resources.     

Technology foresight in practice: A proposal for Turkish space vision

We are witnessing a fundamental change in the perception of space-related issues. Once a symbol of technological competition between opposing political systems, space activities have become a part of everyday life and an indispensable means for states to achieve economic, scientific, political and social goals. This Report addresses the space activities of Turkey, a latecomer to space challenge but a country rapidly progressing in this field. In this context, major space-related policies and projects are first discussed. The current status of the Turkish space industry is then defined through SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). The analysis is informed by a May 2012 workshop was held in Turkey at the Defense Sciences Institute, which brought together a range of interested actors to discuss Turkey's space policy. The workshop was followed up six months later with a survey of a larger group of participants. This Report lays out the findings of these two events, articulating the strengths and weaknesses for Turkey's space aspirations, and also a proposal for the country's future space ambitions. Strategies and policies that will be supportive in achieving the proposed space vision are also introduced.     

Reliability analysis and utilization of PEMs in space application

More and more plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) are used in space missions to achieve high performance. Since PEMs are designed for use in terrestrial operating conditions, the successful usage of PEMs in space harsh environment is closely related to reliability issues, which should be considered firstly. However, there is no ready-made methodology for PEMs in space applications. This paper discusses the reliability for the usage of PEMs in space. This reliability analysis can be divided into five categories: radiation test, radiation hardness, screening test, reliability calculation and reliability assessment. One case study is also presented to illuminate the details of the process, in which a PEM part is used in a joint space program Double-Star Project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and China. The influence of environmental constrains including radiation, humidity, temperature and mechanics on the PEM part has been considered. Both Double-Star Project satellites are still running well in space now.     

Policy model for space economy infrastructure

Extraterrestrial infrastructure is key to the development of a space economy. Means for accelerating transition from today's isolated projects to a broad-based economy are considered. A large system integration approach is proposed. The beginnings of an economic simulation model are presented, along with examples of how interactions and coordination bring down costs. A global organization focused on space infrastructure and economic expansion is proposed to plan, coordinate, fund and implement infrastructure construction. This entity also opens a way to raise low-cost capital and solve the legal and public policy issues of access to extraterrestrial resources.     

航天器编队飞行和空间演示验证技术——有人照料空间实验室与平动-转动物理仿真器

航天器编队飞行是近年来国内外航天领域研究的热点问题,同时也是空间技术今后一个重要发展方向。为此文章首先讨论航天器编队飞行特点;其次研究编队飞行今后能否获得顺利成功应用,有关它的各种算法和软件空间飞行演示验证技术和方法;最后介绍了美国麻省理工学院空间系统实验室（MITSSL）对航天器编队飞行算法软件空间演示验证的方法和实验。     

Human dimensions in space development

Space exploration is now moving beyond the stage when technical development dominated research. As thinking shifts towards the problems of long-term colonization of the Solar System, the biological and behavioural sciences must make major contributions. This article outlines some of the issues which must be addressed, such as group behaviour and dynamics in space flight, the environment created at space stations and other outposts, recruitment and training of suitable spacefarers, and the planning and governing of space settlements. Ten dimensions of the human aspect of space habitation are described and an indication given of how they may form the basis for a new taxonomy of space planning, operations and management.     

Space activities in Korea—History, current programs and future plans

Korea has participated in space development only since the 1990s. Despite its short history, Korea has been increasing its technological capabilities with the successful experience of several national projects. The Korean government established a long-term space development plan in 1996, which suggests a clear way forward for space development up to 2015. Space activities in Korea will grow continuously. The direction of future space activities will be decided by the national space development plan. This paper discusses Korea's past and present space activities and future development projects.