Space Policy最新文献

Space science and engineering courses are part of the core curriculum at many universities, but increasingly, schools are beginning to offer courses on economic, policy, and other social science aspects of space activity. These courses can provide context for students; helping them to understand the environment in which programmatic and technical decisions are made. They can also act as a concrete method for understanding core social science concepts from economics, international affairs, and other fields. Interviews with individuals teaching such courses show that these courses tend to address multiple disciplinary perspectives, and in many cases, these courses take a problem-focused approach, using social science theories and methods to understand real-world challenges and identify potential solutions. Many also emphasize student engagement and participation. These characteristics align with a transdisciplinary approach to teaching, and this article examines how space courses can be situated within this context. An examination of course goals and teaching methods provides insight into the range of approaches that instructors use to organize and run these courses and how these efforts relate to theories on transdisciplinary teaching more broadly.

Though significant attention has been paid to the early absence of women astronauts and the difficulty in reducing gender gaps there and in the broader fields of science, technology, engineering, and math fields, little analysis has been done of the ways in which gender influences space policy in the United States. This article argues that a feminist critique is not only necessary but also needs to be advanced in a more sustained manner. To do so, it outlines feminist arguments including those of feminist international relations theory and hegemonic masculinity theory. It then notes the few studies undertaken in this area highlighting the lack of recency and frequency in them. Then, it presents two cases of a feminist critique: the masculine nature of space power theory and the influence of hegemonic masculinity theory in the commercial space industry. It concludes with noting several different areas ripe for such feminist analysis as well as analyses focusing on the intersectional nature of the space domain.

As the pace and speed of events in space continues to increase, this article highlights the importance of addressing these imbalances now before societal and power imbalances have the opportunity to reach beyond Earth orbit.

Throughout the history of the astronautic development, one of the key principles of international space law has always been the principle of international cooperation between States. The States jointly, although sometimes in conditions of competition or in a tense geopolitical situation, systematically moved towards the development of space science and technology, and the exploration of outer space for the benefit of all mankind. To succeed in this difficult task, the principle of information sharing has always served as an assistance to the principle of international cooperation. A striking example of how the two outlined principles are applied is the protection of the International Space Station against a possible collision with space debris. As a number of States consider exploring more celestial bodies and deep space, the importance of the principles of international cooperation and information sharing is increasing. This article focuses on these principles and their complementary roles. The first part of the article provides a retrospective analysis of the principle of international cooperation and the manner in which it is enshrined in international law, including international space law. The second part explores the principle of information sharing as a particular example of the principle of international cooperation. The conclusion of the article is that in current conditions, there is an increasing need for strict adherence to the designated principles for the realization of space activities in general as well as ensuring its safety and efficiency.

Space settlement advocates frequently argue that we will soon be able to settle humans in space. Surviving on Mars is clearly a pre-requisite to settlement, and much work has been done examining the engineering aspects of this endeavor. Much less work has been done, however, on questions related to how to arrange a society in space. Early settlements will be dangerous, isolated, and cramped, and picking a social arrangement that is likely to result in a vibrant and productive society will be critical. Moreover, given the high stakes of this endeavor, being able to anticipate and ameliorate likely social problems ahead of time would be beneficial. Some important questions to consider include: How can settlements pick members who are likely to contribute as much as or more than they take from the society? How will they make sure everyone continues to contribute? How will they retain their most talented members? The literature on space settlements frequently posits that early settlements are particularly likely to be communal, though settlement scholars rarely consult the social sciences literature to explore whether or not communes would be a good social model for space. This article explores lessons from three major communal movements—the Hutterites, kibbutzim, and 60s-era communes. Similar social problems (such as adverse selection, free riding, and brain drain) are frequently encountered in these communes, and communards employ similar solutions to ameliorate these problems. This article also discusses how the nature of these social constraints may differ in the space environment, and the potential implications of the observation that religious communes seem to be more likely to persist than purely socialist ones.

Several good studies have probed the social dynamics of space settlements, including crucial religious dimensions. Religion, after all, may play stabilizing or destabilizing roles within groups, thus affecting settlement viability and productivity. Unlike other studies, though, this article explores religiosity from a decolonized perspective which, instead of spotlighting the export of religions from Earth, engages the potential spiritual creativity of settlers from settler points of view, including ostensibly nonreligious ones. Using Mars as an example location, these settler points of view involve establishing recognizable traditional religions, albeit in their more ecumenical forms; creating a place for cosmopolitan spiritualities like Baha'i; experimenting with new forms of styles like religious naturalism; and, poignantly, developing homegrown Martian nature religiosity. This analysis aids comprehension of some of the contours and dynamics of religions in space settlements and hence understanding of settlement viability, operation, and flourishing.

In June of 1994, the term “planetary defense” was first published in a white paper included in a U.S. Air Force report called SPACECAST 2020. The white paper warned of the threat of potentially hazardous asteroids to Earth and suggested methods of asteroid impact mitigation through an organized Air Force program. Today, the United States strongly contributes to the world-wide effort to find, track, characterize, and mitigate potentially hazardous objects (PHOs) via the NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO). This paper analyzes the evolution of U.S. planetary defense since SPACECAST 2020 and evaluates the influence of the white paper's recommendations nearly thirty years on.

Interdisciplinary research approaches are more likely to deliver outcomes beyond the capability of a single discipline is well established in the research literature. In view of the inherent complexity of space exploration, and the considerable challenges characterizing what has been termed the “New Space Age”, interdisciplinary research would seem well positioned to engage with the space sector to a very significant extent. However, contributions that the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines can make in addressing the needs of business, industry, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and policymakers in the space sector remains equivocal. This exploratory study aims to investigate the latent contribution and value-added potential of HASS disciplines to inform the space sector through interviews with 32 senior practitioners and policymakers from this sector in Australia, Europe, and the USA. Findings suggest not only a definitive role of HASS disciplines in the space sector but also an almost symbiotic relationship existing between HASS and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. In addition, HASS contributions to the space sector have changed over time, and challenges facing HASS disciplines in the future represent opportunities to embed HASS as a more credible contributor within the space sector.