National space programs are tools states leverage for a variety of purposes, not expressions of an apolitical human urge to explore. Like nuclear weapons, crewed spaceflight programs remain widely perceived as a signifier of great power status.
The Apollo Space program left an important legacy to both the US nation and the proponents of space exploration. This legacy is vast, going far beyond the political goals for which the project was created.
For a new space race to occur, the US-China military rivalry in space must escalate to a general rivalry in prestige exploratory programs. But, as history has shown, the gulf between aspirations and reality is wide.
The first space race was the start of a new era in human history, not its apogee. There is no guarantee that we will not repeat it. But if money is the sinews of war, this space race will be more formidable than the last.
The idea of a new space race is unlikely to become a reality. Why in the globalization era should nations cooperate to get to Mars? Perhaps the most pragmatic reason is because none of them will be able to afford it alone.
Will Chinese taikonauts land on the moon in 2020? Given such broad Chinese efforts in developing space technology, China could surpass the US in the coming decade.
Space Policy in Developing Countries is an excellent and timely introduction to a fast changing field and adds to the evolving academic debate surrounding space policy.
The primary hurdle for China to subscribe to the European Code of Conduct for Space Activities is the biased substantive obligations and finding the most appropriate forum to negotiate.
There is no side-stepping the need to hold both state and non-state actors accountable for their behaviour in space. Transparency and confidence building measures are the key practical tools for a successful framework.
After a failed effort by the EU in 2011, the international community will once again take up the issue of a Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities at the UN in October. Diverging national interests threaten to derail the talks.
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