The Political Dimension of Space Exploration

Abstract

Space exploration is essential for global security and technological development, yet political leaders often disregard its importance. This policy paper demonstrates the role of space exploration in global security and technological development and the necessity for political support, as space exploration is costly, relying primarily on federal funding. Political support is motivated by political circumstances. When winning the space race was an important demonstration of power, political support was at its highest. However, political interest in spacefaring faded after the Cold War ended, and funding decreased. Political disinterest has global consequences. Space hazards constitute a severe global threat to planetary defense and come in different forms, such as space rocks, artificial space debris, and space weaponization. These hazards threaten satellites in orbit with a significant role in global operations, including communications, surveillance, and navigation. Additionally, nearEarth objects such as asteroids or comets seriously threaten global security. A catastrophic impact of a near-Earth object could threaten life on Earth and even become an extinction event. The national space program also plays an important role in mitigating climate change, a significant current threat to global security. Therefore, setting the right direction for the space program and ensuring sufficient funding for spacefaring is essential to global security. Using qualitative secondary analysis and the causal explanation method, this policy paper analyzes political support by comparing NASA’s budget and national space policies over several decades and how funding affects technological advances and development. The paper concludes by generating policy recommendations to establish the optimal conditions for a national space program to thrive and fulfill its role in maintaining global security