A Brief Review of Space Policy

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Title: A Brief Review of Space Policy
Other Titles: Weltraumpolitik
Authors: Saalbach, Klaus
Contributions by: Saalbach, Klaus
Abstract: Space policy is about the plans and activities of political actors in Outer Space, their motives and strategies. Political actors are nation states, but also international organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The review of UN Space Law has shown that the framework is challenged by plans to start exploitation and settlements of celestial bodies, in particular Moon and Mars. An overview on space activities, where unmanned satellite and research probes are standard, is followed by a summary of policies and strategies of the leading actors (US, Europe, China, Russia, India and Japan) and a review of military and security issues in Outer Space: Anti-Satellite Weapons, Laser Weapons and Satellite Hacking were identified as key challenges. Environmental problems also exist in Space, in particular space debris and protection of lunar and Martian water reserves. A key problem are the long space travels. Nuclear space engines may appear in the 2020ies to solve these problems. Recent research has shown that the hurdles for microbial life in Outer Space and other planets may be lower than expected. There is a risk that human missions inadvertently create extraterrestrial microbe variants instead of discovering new life and may contaminate lunar and Martian water reserves. Low or no gravity (microgravity) was identified as largest biologic hurdle for long-term settlements and space travels.
Citations: Working Paper. Universität Osnabrück, Fachbereich 1 - Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften, Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, Osnabrück 2020.
URL: https://osnadocs.ub.uni-osnabrueck.de/handle/urn:nbn:de:gbv:700-202001092470
Subject Keywords: Space Policy; Weltraumpolitik
Issue Date: 9-Jan-2020
License name: Attribution 3.0 Germany
License url: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/de/
Type of publication: Arbeitspapier [workingPaper]
Appears in Collections:FB01 - Hochschulschriften

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