Secure World Foundation… Emerging Space Nations — An Examination (Report)

[SatNews] While the advent of emerging space nations certainly creates opportunities, it also raises new concerns.

Balancing these new sets of opportunities and risks requires an understanding of the rationale and development paths of all space actors, in particular, emerging space nations. A new examination of six emerging space nations (South Africa, Brazil, and India compared against Nigeria, Venezuela, and Malaysia) reveals opportunities and challenges to space sustainability. The research — Analyzing the Development Paths of Emerging Space Nations: Opportunities or Challenges for Space Sustainability? – was detailed at a special Secure World Foundation (SWF) event on August 22 in Washington, D.C.

Authors of the research, Megan Ansdell, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Laura Delgado Lopez, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, and Daniel Hendrickson, Aerospace Industries Association, presented their findings at the SWF event. The views and opinions expressed within the study are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employers.

This research was conducted in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree program in International Science and Technology Policy at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Secure World Foundation staff served as consultants to the presenters in conducting their research for this report. The study examines the selected nations’ space policy development and interest (or lack thereof) in international cooperation. In addition, the research assesses how the United States and the international community can best reach out to these emerging space actors in advancing space sustainability. The authors also look at the European Union’s draft international Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities to evaluate how the countries examined in this research view this proposed mechanism for space sustainability. Finally, the study discusses the role that the United States has played to date in these regions and suggests ways in which the United States might enhance its efforts in the future.

“Due to the special physics of the space environment, actions by one country can affect the ability of all to obtain benefits from space. This is why it is important to ensure that all space actors are in agreement as to what constitutes responsible space behavior,” said Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director for Secure World Foundation. “Yet different countries have different interests and priorities for their space programs, so a study like Analyzing the Development Paths of Emerging Space Nations is tremendously useful in identifying opportunities for international cooperation in space,” SWF’s Samson said.

To read the Executive Summary of the study, go to: https://swfound.org/media/46122/emergingspaceactors_executive%20summary-august2011.pdf.

Secure World Foundation (SWF) is headquartered in Superior, Colorado, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium, and is a private operating foundation dedicated to the secure and sustainable use of space for the benefit of Earth and all its peoples. SWF engages with academics, policy makers, scientists and advocates in the space and international affairs communities to support steps that strengthen global space sustainability. It promotes the development of cooperative and effective use of space for the protection of Earth’s environment and human security. The Foundation acts as a research body, convener and facilitator to advocate for promoting key space security and other space related topics and to examine their influence on governance and international development.