Emerging European Space Agencies in the Framework of Geopolitics of Outer Space

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increasing number of national space agencies, which is particularly visible in the last decade, is an important recent trend in space activities. Although one of the most frequently mentioned concepts in contemporary space activities is New Space, which emphasizes new technologies, transformation of strategic planning, and the commercial sphere, the original state structures associated with state actors, national space agencies or other governmental entities focused on space, remain indispensable elements for implementing space activities. The European cases presented in this study- Luxembourg, Portugal, and Greece- demonstrate the importance of national agencies in areas of implementing national space strategy, supporting the space sector, and representing national and international interests. The cases of Luxembourg and Portugal highlight the use the New Space transformation to prioritize the economic sphere complemented by diplomatic, scientific, and technological pursuits. Their approach is based on finding and exploiting a void in the space market and leveraging historically developed capacities in the field. In contrast, unsuccessful national space agencies can be observed in the same group of cases, Greece being the example. By comparing differences between successful and unsuccessful national space agencies, key insights into the effectiveness of such agencies are identified and discussed.