. Global Affairs and Strategic Studies. School de Derecho

New space age. Now it's serious

GLOBAL AFFAIRS JOURNAL #2 / March 2020

[download the PDF of the full Journal ]

The horizon is up again:

Powers and companies fight for space

PRESENTATION

We are witnessing a new space age, which is here to stay. This time it is for real. It will not be a one-flower crop, like the arrival of humans on the moon, which is soon to wither away. The return of geopolitical tension to Earth also has its projection in space, conceived no longer as a place of incursion or strategic support territory but as a domain in its own right, of the same importance and proximity as the others (land, sea, air... and network). Although the space priority of the superpowers may be modulated according to the ups and downs of the International Office, such is mankind's dependence on artificial satellites that space is now a definitive part of our direct environment. However, it is the awakened economic interest in the business prospects of the space sector, manifested in the degree program of various private companies to take over activities that previously, due to the enormous budgetary requirements, were only undertaken by certain states, which ensures the continuity of a stage that is opening up not to close.

The horizon is back up there - return to the Moon, flight to Mars, asteroid mining - after the unsustained efforts of half a century ago. It is to this horizon that we wanted to dedicate this year's issue of Global Affairs Journal, following the launch of this monographic publication in 2019 with a focus on another issue of great strategic importance, the geopolitics of demography and the demographic challenges of the great powers. So welcome and bon voyage to the stars!

Index

THE HORIZON IS UP AGAIN:

POWERS AND COMPANIES VIE FOR SPACE

Presentation

p. 5[PDF version].

SPACE: NEW MILITARY AND ECONOMIC DOMINANCE

Introduction of the GASS director

p. 6-13[PDF version].

BACK TO SPACE EXPLORATION

Javier Gómez-Elvira

Director from department of INTA Payloads

p. 14-21[PDF version].