Tag: NASA

The Privatization of Space: When Things Go Wrong

Post author By Nayef Al-Rodhan
Post date 14/08/2015
No Comments on The Privatization of Space: When Things Go Wrong

SpaceX-rocket taking off. Image: SpaceX-Imagery/pixabay

A few weeks ago, Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying an unmanned Dragon capsule destined for the International Space Station (ISS) exploded. The explosion was likely caused by a failed strut. In October of last year, Orbital Sciences had a rocket destined for the ISS explode for unrelated reasons, just after they were awarded a $1.9 billion contract with NASA. In the wake of these incidents, it may be time to assess the implications of private sector involvement in state-sponsored space programs.

Tags Privatization of security, Space, NASA, Future Warfare, Technology

Keyword in Focus

Keyword In Focus: Space

One of they key commons of tomorrow and an out-of-sight battleground for geopolitical rivalries and national aggrandizement, space deserves a lot more attention than it gets. To put the spotlight on this overlooked issue, we present to you the ISN Digital Library holdings on the keyword ‘Space‘- let us know what you found particularly interesting and enjoy exploring the true frontier of international affairs.

Some highlights include:

A European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) paper on why NATO should care about space, highlighting the potential of ‘space assets’.

Another ESPI paper on how to combat piracy using space applications.

One more paper from ESPI looking at the economic potential of space.

A Center for International Policy Studies paper on US space security policy.

A Congressional Research Service Report on the future of NASA and US space exploration.

Tags Environment, Space, NASA, Global commons