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A rapidly growing private sector in more than 74 countries, including New Zealand, is participating in the fast-growing space economy. Mitchell Bruce and Robert G. Patman write:
comment: In recent years, New Zealand has emerged as a potentially important actor in what is called the Second Race of the Universe.
In 2025, NASA not only plans to bring humans back to the moon, but also to establish a permanent human presence there.
A New Zealand-based private company is joining this bold new venture, Rocket Lab.
On June 28, Rocket Lab launched Nasa’s Capstone microsatellite with an electron rocket from Mahia. In the second phase of the mission, the upper stage of the electron rocket will propel the Capstone satellite into a position that orbits the moon.
The first lunar mission to take off from New Zealand seems to have made a very successful start.
If New Zealand’s geographic location and physical conditions are attractive choices for space-related activities, what does this tell us about the trajectory of space exploration in the 21st century?
Compared to the space race that began during the Cold War in the 1950s, space exploration is now particularly striking due to the diversity of stakeholders, both national and non-state organizations involved.
A rapidly growing number of private companies in more than 74 countries are participating in the fast-growing space economy. For example, about 90% of satellites launched in recent years were handled by commercial organizations.
The increase in actors in the space exploration sector has both brought about steady and gradual improvements in the techniques used and improved prospects for game-changing innovation.
Breakthrough technologies such as SpaceX’s reusable rocket Falcon 9 prove this.
As more and more countries and businesses get involved, the space environment is becoming more and more contested and crowded.
To date, there are about 27,000 debris in the space environment in the immediate vicinity of the Earth. This is mainly due to objects such as obsolete satellites and non-functional rockets.
Alongside this space debris, there are more than 3,000 operating satellites in orbit around the earth.
These satellites, which should be emphasized, are of immense value for the functioning of many state agencies in both civilian and military areas.
In particular, satellites support global communications, navigation, and environmental monitoring.
However, operating satellites are at increased risk of being damaged by space debris and being targeted by anti-satellite weapons.
For more and more states, such risks are helping to extend national security boundaries to include the space frontier, where satellites play an integral role in national functions on Earth.
At the same time, there is evidence of intensifying competition for mining resources in space.
Several international and national laws have already been enforced in response to the discovery of valuable resources in space, along with private companies developing technologies to reach, collect and use space resources. ..
These resources range from energy to solar power, water, nickel, iron, platinum and gold collection. It is no exaggeration to say that if states and businesses can access these materials and return them to the earth, they can expect profitable economic benefits.
As human exploration of space intensifies, the importance of governance and legal arrangements to manage space-related activities is set to become an urgent issue for decision makers in many countries, including New Zealand. increase.
Questions such as regulation of New Zealand’s commercial and safety concerns about space, relations between New Zealand and other space-developing countries, and management of the environmental and cultural impacts of New Zealand’s involvement in space are asked on July 1. Will be considered by the team from to 3 days. The 56th A gathering of domestic and foreign speakers gathered by Dr. Maria Pozza, Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Policy, University of Otago.
Mitchell Bruce is a Master of International Studies (MIntSt) student at the University of Otago, and Robert G. Patman is a sesquicentennial distinguished chair at the University of Otago and a specialist in international affairs.