YOUNG H. JUNG, Consul General’s Post

**The New Space Race: Geopolitical Tensions Undermine Potential for Unity in Space Exploration** The current landscape of space exploration is overshadowed by intense international competition, evoking memories of the Cold War-era space race. The United States, China, and Russia are deeply entrenched in this rivalry, with geopolitical tensions dictating their space policies. The exclusion of China from the International Space Station and Russia's threats to exit due to US sanctions exemplify the detrimental effects of restricted international cooperation. This competitive mindset has led to significant duplication of efforts and resources, as nations chase national prestige over collaborative scientific goals. The militarization of space, evidenced by the US Space Force and anti-satellite weapons development, risks turning space into a new battlefield. Commercially, US companies dominate due to substantial government backing, leaving European and other international firms struggling to compete. This, combined with massive US R&D spending, widens the technology gap, further polarizing global space efforts. Yet, despite these challenges, the drive for competition has spurred innovation and government investment in space programs worldwide. However, this fragmented approach is shortsighted. Imagine the breakthroughs possible if major spacefaring nations united their efforts. Collaborative endeavors could lead to unprecedented scientific achievements, foster international goodwill, and ensure that space remains a domain for peaceful exploration. A balanced approach, blending competition with cooperation, is essential. Initiatives like NASA's Artemis Accords offer a glimpse of how structured international collaboration could pave the way for remarkable advancements. Unity in space exploration could transform dreams into reality, leading to wondrous events that benefit all of humanity. ### Hashtags #SpaceRace #Geopolitics #SpaceExploration #USChinaRussia #SpaceUnity #SpaceCooperation #Innovation #TechGap #ArtemisAccords #SpacePeace #GlobalCollaboration

📣 Update on the Artemis Accords: Estonia has become the 45th member to sign the Artemis Accords four years after the founding members joined. This is seemingly a great step for global diplomacy, but what impacts does this have on private companies? Well, as indicated by Estonia’s minister of economy and industry, Erkki Keldo, the Accords shall “open attractive opportunities to Estonian enterprises.” The line of argument of all signatories of the Accords seems to be focused on space being an area for private companies to use instead of national use. So, are these Accords a new way to increase privatisation in outer space? Well, as I have examined this topic in my thesis at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICADE, there is more to the topic of Space Politics than meets the eye. The Artemis Accords are a way to directly overrule the founding principles of the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement by promoting non-state actors to own areas of outer space effectively. Space is no longer an area of scientific fascination but one of economic interest for both nations and, most importantly, private actors. The NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy explained why not all Nations are keen on signing: “It’s about not being sure what you’re signing up to [...] and that’s on us.” So what are Nations signing up to exactly? To promote humanity’s joint efforts to explore Space and its scientific riches or to promote private entities to take control of the ever-growing sector of the Space Economy? These are questions we must ask ourselves when examining political space activity.

The space race between China and India has been steadily intensifying in recent years, as the two Asian powers vie for dominance in the final frontier. This competition reflects the broader geopolitical rivalry between the two nations, with space emerging as a critical domain for asserting technological prowess, national prestige, and strategic advantage. As China and India pursue ambitious space programs and develop advanced capabilities, the implications extend far beyond the cosmos, shaping the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. https://lnkd.in/gPmztPJK

Mexico is making strong strides in space exploration, overcoming challenges and advancing in technology, talent development, and international collaboration. As the country strengthens its presence in the aerospace industry, new opportunities are opening up to contribute to scientific progress and global innovation. Mexico's space future promises to play a key role in the evolution of science and the development of humanity. https://lnkd.in/gt2Dgh82 More information about us: https://lnkd.in/dAfTk9r

✨ Highlights from the UNIDIR — UN Institute for Disarmament Research 2024 Space Security Conference ✨ 🚀 First Day Panel One: A Verification and Monitoring Toolbox for Space Security 🚀 💬 @Andrey Yurievich Malov (Senior Expert, MGIMO): 1️⃣ "We must adopt a holistic approach to space security—looking beyond just technical solutions to political and ethical dimensions." 🌍💼 2️⃣ "The absence of an international treaty preventing the weaponization of space is a glaring gap in global security." 🛰️🚫 3️⃣ "Voluntary measures like codes of conduct are inadequate to stop the arms race in space. We need binding international agreements." 📝🤝 💬 @Éric Cézzane Cólen Guedes (Chief, Space Operations Center, Brazilian Air Force): 1️⃣ "Emerging technologies are democratizing space, but without proper governance, it’s becoming the Wild West up there." 🛰️🤠 2️⃣ "Training and capacity-building for emerging space nations is critical if we want to maintain stability in space." 🌍📚 3️⃣ "Collaboration across nations is key. Space is a global commons, and we must treat it that way." 🌐🤝 💬 Russell Boyce Boyce (Managing Director, Mission Assurance): 1️⃣ "We are democratizing space at an incredible rate, but the lack of training for new entrants could lead to chaos." 🌍🚀 2️⃣ "Universities and small teams are doing astonishing things in orbit, completely changing the space landscape." 🎓🛰️ 3️⃣ "Understanding space environments and spacecraft interactions is critical for preventing space conflict." 🛰️📡 💬 Shen Jian (Deputy Permanent Representative, China): 1️⃣ "The fundamental threat to space security is the risk of an arms race and the weaponization of space." 🚫🛰️ 2️⃣ "Without international regulations preventing the placement of weapons in space, true space security cannot be achieved." 🌐⚖️ 3️⃣ "We must ensure space remains a peaceful domain for all of humanity." 🕊️🌌 Stay tuned for more exciting insights from this game-changing conference! 🚀🌍 #SpaceSecurity #SpaceSustainability #GlobalCooperation #SpaceGovernance #UNIDIR2024

The heads of BRICS space agencies gathered in Moscow on May 23, 2024, to discuss various aspects of international space cooperation, deliberate on ongoing and prospective multilateral space initiatives, and adopt joint beneficial frameworks. https://lnkd.in/dsPFuRNs

What people often forget is the lengths that the USA has gone to keep China from developing advanced technology. Remember, the USA deliberately excluded China from participation in the International Space Station. China had no choice but to develop its own space program. Now, they are doing things that no other country has done in terms of where they go on the moon. And, they plan to land a person on the moon in the 2030's, which will make them the second country to do so after the USA. Five countries have reached the moon but only the USA has put a person on its surface. Only the US space suit could accomplish this. https://lnkd.in/gKEtsZ4W

[Korea ushers in new space era with KASA launch] Korea AeroSpace Administration to focus on talent, R&D, industry and international cooperation, its chief says South Korea officially opened its first independent space-dedicated body, the Korea AeroSpace Administration, on Monday. “The role of KASA can be divided into four main sectors: establishing national aerospace policies, fostering talents while conducting R&D, promoting industry and international cooperation,” said Yoon Young-bin, chief of KASA and former aerospace engineering professor at Seoul National University, as he addressed his fellow officials in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. As the Korean government has continuously emphasized the importance of expanding the space industry, the KASA chief again highlighted the need to prioritize support for the private sector so that companies can advance and lead commercial space businesses. “The establishment of KASA will be an important stepping stone that guides the way for Korea to become a powerhouse in space economy by setting up the private-led space ecosystem,” he said. Tap below to read full story. #KASA #Korea #AeroSpace #Administration #launch #aerospace #space #economy #private #government #Korea https://lnkd.in/gni2RBf8

For a limited time, you can download a free PDF of Asia’s Space Ambitions, a multi-author piece just published in 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑎 𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑦 by National Bureau of Asian Research. It provides an excellent survey of the space aspirations of several nations. Authors include: myself (US), @lincolnhines (China), Saadia M. Pekkanen (Japan), Rajeswari Pallai Rajagopalan (India), Sangwoo Shin (S. Korea), Brian Gallant & Jordan Miller (Canda), Cassandra Steer (Australia), Hema Nadarjah (Singapore). I was quite honored to be asked to write the piece on US space efforts and plans and to step into the footsteps of the legendary John M. Logsdon who wrote that section the last publication. In 2020 John wrote: "𝘕𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥’𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴. Developing those rules, given the nationalistic character of current U.S. space policy, will pose a continuing challenge to international space diplomacy." I conclude with: "𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴. 𝘈𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵. 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘜.𝘚.-𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴. 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺; it can even be argued that no other policy domain has been as successful for the United States." https://lnkd.in/gi_zGA33

Remember the many decades when the US and Russia (or the Soviet Union, as it was then) went head to head in the race to be the no.1 Space power. Now that Russia has declined, China wants to take its place, at least as no. 2. It has released its ambitious 'medium to long-term space science plan' to 2050. Apart from this being a 'civilian' plan - in the past Space was a military matter in China - it sets out aspirations to collaborate internationally as part of its bid to be a space power. Bleddyn Bowen a Space policy expert at the University of Durham, UK tells me international collaboration is an important part of China’s ambitions in space to portray itself as a technological powerhouse and an alternative to the US. “That kind of international cooperation is much more important than anything they’re doing on the moon or on an [international] space station,” he says. But other experts note China is not yet there as a great Space power. And while its plan to 2050, is an ambitious one, timetables are all too fluid in Space planning and implementation. It's clear the rivalry between China and the US in Space will only get stronger but will those collaborating on research with one side or the other in this era of technological decoupling find themselves running foul of US export control rules, for example if they cooperate with China? Lots to ponder with my latest for University World News https://lnkd.in/emWBSwb7