Europe’s Space Exploration and Korea’s Space Exploration Strategy from the Perspective of Science and Technology Diplomacy

Abstract

Space exploration is an area where international cooperation takes place more actively than any other space activities such as Earth observation, communication and navigation. This is because a country cannot afford a huge budget to have full infrastructure for deep space exploration, such as a heavy launch vehicle, communication and energy infrastructure, and human habitats, and has learned that it is not sustainable. Korea expressed its willingness to join humanity’s epic exploration journey by signing the Artemis Accords in 2021 and launching Danuri lunar orbiter in 2022. The beginning of space exploration means that Korea’s space activities have expanded beyond the stage of focusing only on technology development to set norms necessary to accompany other countries and cooperate diplomatically to solve exposed problems. This paper analyzed European space policy and space exploration, which are most actively participating in the Artemis Program and exerting diplomatic power in the space field, from the perspective of science and technology diplomacy. The suggestions for Korea’s space exploration strategy from the perspective of science and technology diplomacy were drawn by examining the international cooperation strategies in Europe’s space activities ranging from space policy, space strategy, and space exploration program to project units.