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Space wars

Can space continue to be a medium in which to broker peace? : Michael Joiner, 360info

Backgrounder: 515 words

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many joint space programmes have been put on hold. What is the future for international space exploration and collaboration?

8 perspectives

8 perspectives
Special Report

Space wars

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many joint space programmes have been put on hold. What is the future for international space exploration and collaboration?

Conflict
Space transcends national boundaries and the Earth currently does not have unity in decision-making. : Bill Anders

As space science matures and accelerates, the time has come for a democratically accountable UN to moderate human activity beyond Earth.

Space wars

Who speaks for Earth?

As space science matures and accelerates, the time has come for a democratically accountable UN to moderate human activity beyond Earth.

Law
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are close allies, both on Earth and in matters beyond. Picture: The Presidential Press and Information Office, Wikimedia Commons : The Presidential Press and Information Office, Wikimedia Commons

If spacefaring nations can set aside geopolitics, the hope and cooperation that characterised the dawn of the space age will come to the fore once again.

Space wars

Can space stay peaceful during tension on Earth?

If spacefaring nations can set aside geopolitics, the hope and cooperation that characterised the dawn of the space age will come to the fore once again.

Conflict
Space junk poses a significant threat to satellites and space infrastructure. Picture: NASA, Wikimedia Commons : NASA, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0

Responsibility for cleaning up space can be modelled on strategies to mitigate climate change.

Space and sustainability

Keeping space clean for future exploration

Politics
The UN has long struggled to prevent the weaponisation of space. : NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

International agreement on a peace treaty for outer space has been lacking for decades. A new working group is attempting a different path.

Space wars

UN tries again with outer-space peace treaty

Law
The Chinese Space Station will host international experiments : Shijianyang

China has launched the first stages of its space station. International projects selected to come aboard may be ready to fly from late 2022.

Space wars

China collaborating in space

Science
As a new entrant to space, India could use its unaligned status for peace. : ISRO

As global tensions rise, India’s burgeoning space programme could become a tool for peace.

Space wars

Transcending politics with space flight

Conflict
NASA scientists work on the rocket that is proposed to take humans back to the Moon on a mining mission. : NASA/Kim Shiflett Public domain

International law was rocked by the introduction of the Artemis Accords, an agreement that allows mining on the Moon in support of scientific missions.

Governing the space race

First in, first served as Moon-mining gains legality

Law
The SpaceX rocket launches with the DART spacecraft onboard. It will nudge an asteroid from its orbit in September 2022. : NASA/Bill Ingalls public domain

The DART mission to redirect an asteroid is billed as potentially planet-saving. But in the wrong hands it has seriously destructive potential.

Governing the space race

Dream-walking towards the planetoid bomb

Conflict