A new setting for international space cooperation?

The year 2004 could be seen as the turning point for the realignment of international space cooperation for the 21st century. At the very core of this readjustment, the US space exploration initiative strives to define a new scheme for such a broad array of aspects as international scientific cooperation, the role of the space industry and the organizational framework for international space applications. This paper argues that the success of this new outline of international space cooperation depends on several conditions. First, the US initiative needs to demonstrate its long-term continuity and reliability for international partners, which will depend to no small degree on the future of the ISS and its utilization for international research. Second, international cooperation between industrial partners will continue to need political frameworks and depend on a balanced handling of know-how partnerships. Third, cooperation in space applications will need a truly international structure to further its global acceptance and outreach.     

International cooperation and competition in civilian space activities

This article considers how the USA can best maintain its commercial and governmental competitiveness in space, while facilitating private investment and international marketing, and at the same time keeping up significant cooperation with other nations. The current state of US civilian space activities in each of these areas is summarized, and several alternative solutions are presented. The article concludes that strengthening US competition with other space-capable nations, and improving US ability to cooperate effectively, will require careful coordination of the activities of federal agencies with each other and with the private sector.     

An Asian perspective on the new US space policy: The emphasis on international cooperation and its relevance to Asia

This viewpoint examines the likely reasons behind the renewed focus on international cooperation in the new US National Space Policy, noting that the rise of various Asian space powers is one factor. It demonstrates the increase in US-Asian space cooperation that is already underway, arguing that such cooperation can only be to the good in providing Asian countries with a greater degree of cutting-edge technology and know-how, as well as contributing to the overall safety and security of outer space. Nevertheless, there will doubtless be problems such as cost overruns and delays and effort will have to be applied if cooperation is to work.     

China's rise in space and US policy responses: A collision course?

China's opaque politics present particular difficulties for US space policy. Heavily invested in and reliant on space, the US will closely monitor China's burgeoning space program. New space powers, and the increasing use of space generally will further create significant challenges, most particularly to the reliance of states on space for national security. In order to maintain its space capabilities, the US will have to decide between securing this via multilateral and co-operative uses of space, or through trying to maintain a level of dominance over other space actors. While very gradually shifting away from the latter position, Washington's policy choices are complicated by the lack of a clear Chinese space strategy. While the Chinese space program, and its wider intentions, are opaque, tenure of a more cooperative approach course might prove fragile.     

International space exploration: Cooperative or competitive?

France and the USA have in the past enjoyed a close and fruitful cooperative relationship in space but there is now a growing divergence between apparent US priorities for future activity and those of other countries, for whom human spaceflight is not so important. While accepting that it cannot match the USA technologically, Europe is increasingly sceptical of the wisdom of pursuing space cooperation with its given difficulties caused by the ITAR regime, greater suspicion of anything foreign in the USA and the unwillingness of NASA ever to cede a critical path to a partner. Nor are any of the non-space ventures currently being suggested as cooperation models attractive from a European point of view. A better way forward would be to have conglomerates of nations cooperating on an equal footing and avoiding recourse to US State Department-regulated technology.     

Cancelling the US solar-polar spacecraft : Implications for international cooperation in space

In 1981 the US spacecraft planned for the international Solar Polar Mission, in cooperation with the European Space Agency, was abruptly withdrawn. This article discusses the events leading up to the withdrawal and how it was handled by NASA and US government officials, and ESA's reaction. Reflections are offered on the experience, and ESA's current attitude towards space partnerships with the USA is examined. The author concludes the Europe is in a stronger bargaining position today, and has also advanced towards having its own autonomous space capability.     

The next giant leap in space

Over the past year, the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA) has conducted a massive programme aimed at involving US citizens directly in shaping US space policy. From early January to mid-May of 1986, thousands of people joined forces in some 90 cities and towns across the USA to examine the prospects for international cooperation and the impact of existing and potential military space activities on civilian cooperation.     

International cooperation in space — new opportunities, new approaches : An assessment

Now that the Cold War is over, the authors of this Viewpoint believe that in the interests of the USA as well as the rest of the world international cooperation should become a more fundamental element of US space policy. Cooperative agreements will not always be easy to reach and will require creative statecraft. To that end the USA should take the initiative in establishing a high-level international policy forum to facilitate discussions on the main goals and objectives to be served by international cooperation in space.     

The emerging China–EU space partnership: A geotechnological balancer

Through a techno-nationalist lens, this paper will assess the growing China–European Union (EU) space partnership, and its implications for international space cooperation and competition. Techno-nationalism (jishu minzuzhuyi), the idea that technological strength is an effective determinant of national power in a harshly competitive world,³ informs both Chinese and US perceptions of China's space development. Using this lens elevates all space activities—manned, unmanned, military and scientific—to the strategic level. It is our contention that because of the increasing China–EU space partnership, the USA must re-evaluate its approach to China—away from the containment approach, which has thus far predominated, toward an approach which would offer the USA the opportunity to influence and, thereby, decrease the importance of the emerging partnership.     

European response to the NASA space station initiative

This article contrasts the political motivations behind the US space station initiative with those underlying the European Space Agency's Long Term Plan. Philip Chandler concludes that European cooperation in NASA's space station programme (SSP) will serve three needs: to buy time; to allow European users to undertake longer, manned experiments; and, to keep the Spacelab teams intact. However, in itself the SSP holds little value for Europe.     

Sino-Latin American space cooperation: A smart move

Sino-Latin American space cooperation has grown in the past several years, contributing to debates over China’s rising influence in the region. Much of what has been written about this phenomenon is overly simplistic and denotes a lack of understanding of the interplay between the domestic and the international when decisions of international cooperation are taken. This paper argues that calculations of both domestic and international interest are important in Sino-Latin space relationships, with the former of particular importance to Latin American countries. It explores these interests as demonstrated in the cooperative programs of four Latin American countries. It concludes that, while the US relationship is not a major factor in their decisions to cooperate or not with China, the USA could benefit from a greater understanding of this phenomenon to expand its relationships with the emerging space nations of the region to its benefit.     

US-Soviet cooperation in space: Benefits, obstacles and opportunities

Political developments in the USSR have opened new possibilities for cooperation with the USA in areas of common interest. One of the greatest areas of such common interest is the exploration and utilization of space. This article highlights the most significant benefits that could be derived from US-Soviet cooperation in space, lists some of the most promising opportunities for further cooperation and discusses in detail the main obstacles to the exploitation of these opportunities. It concludes with recommendations addressed to the US government and space industry and to their counterparts in the USSR.     

A European military space community: Reality or dream?

Europe is faced with several essential policy decisions with regard to the exploitation of space technology. Important issues are: the relations between civilian and military uses of outer space, employment opportunities, industrial and commercial interests, European security and international stability, regional and international cooperation. Concerted action is required for political reasons and in order to achieve the necessary scientific, technological and economic critical masses. Another major policy issue is, therefore, whether Europe should expand its space venture in the framework of a European military space community as proposed by France, through national or bilateral programmes, by participating in the US SDI research, or through NATO, the Independent European Programme Group, the Western European Union, or the European Space Agency.     

Third-party liability insurance and space launches

This article discusses a number of issues related to the US commercial expendable launch vehicle (ELV) industry and government's role in ensuring its competitiveness, particularly third-party liability insurance for space launches. The author finds that the space insurance industry has become a major constraint on the commercial development of space. The future implications are considered of US government involvement with the launch services industry, initially through providing third-party insurance itself. The author concludes that, for a stable commercial ELV industry, it will be necessary for the USA either to establish fair-trade agreements with other space-capable nations, or to maintain a significant government involvement to support the industry.     

Russia's resurgence: Prospects for space policy and international cooperation

Based on a joint study initiated in 2007–2008 by the Policy planning staff (CAP) of the French Foreign Ministry and the space agency CNES, which brought together experts, researchers and industry insiders, this article considers the factors behind Russia's recent resurgence and the possible revival of its space programme. It examines how far the latter will require international cooperation in order to progress further and discusses likely areas of profitable collaboration with Europe in general and France in particular, given that country's long history of space cooperation with Russia and the need in the mid-term future to share the burden of developing ambitious new space programs. While there is in principle much potential, especially in the area of space transportation, there are also numerous challenges and uncertainties. How these are resolved will affect the level and success of any cooperative efforts of both sides.     

President Obama’s National Space Policy: A change in tone and a focus on space sustainability

The major features of President Obama’s new US space policy are discussed and particular aspects are compared with those of the previous Bush policy. In many cases there are similarities of substance but the tone of the latest policy is more outward looking and inclusive, with a far greater emphasis on cooperation, both internationally and with the private sector. And while some complain that the policy does not sufficiently emphasize US leadership, a statement by President Obama on the day of its release makes clear that this remains a paramount goal. Serious questions remain, however, about implementation of the new policy, particularly where it requires substantial government funding such as human spaceflight and the restructured weather/environmental satellite programs.     

Change and continuity in US space policy

2010 saw both the unveiling of a new US National Space Policy and the announcement of a fundamentally different strategy for US human spaceflight that would move from the NASA-government-led Apollo-style approach to a greater reliance on the private sector and international cooperation. This viewpoint puts forward arguments on why change in the US approach to human spaceflight is needed, while acknowledging that achieving it in the face of vested interests and threats to jobs and livelihoods is extremely difficult. It suggests that greater US recognition of the need to ensure the sustainability of space activity (by addressing debris, radio-frequency interference and potential deliberate disruption of spacecraft), and an apparent willingness to countenance international norms to govern space activities, could be the new policy’s most lasting heritage.     

What next for China in space after Shenzhou?

This article discusses China's ambitions in space now that it seems set to pursue human spaceflight. It suggests that, after sending its astronauts into space, completing orbital rendezvous-docking operations and placing a space lab in orbit, China will focus on the Moon with its Chang’e project. As an emerging space power, China will play a more active role in the international space community through collaboration in areas such as lunar exploration, science operations on the International Space Station, the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System and the International Geosphere–Biosphere Program (IGBP). In particular, China will vigorously explore new opportunities to expand its cooperation with Russia and ESA to counteract Washington's attempt at containment. Meanwhile, Beijing will continue to follow its self-reliance principle to go its own way in space.     

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.     

美国空间对抗装备的新进展

简要介绍了美国空间对抗装备的最新发展情况.着重分析了美国近期重点关注的空间武器.指出天基空间态势感知装备、天基反卫反导武器和激光反卫星武器将是美国空间对抗装备的发展方向.