Autonomous access to space is a strategic capability, and so international cooperation in this field has proven to be near impossible most of the time. The nations
owning missile technology tend not to share it with others, except for specific and
limited cases. While scientific space missions have often been carried out through
an extensive international collaboration, a rocket engine has never been developed
or produced through a joint cooperation between countries.
Let’s take a look at how joint cooperation played out unevenly with the European
space program, and in particular the Ariane launcher, which remains the workhorse of all of Europe’s space ambitions.
After WWII, France and the UK were the leading nations of the new European
aerospace industry. They cleverly decided to include Germany and Italy within
their satellite and rocket programs, balancing their respective geopolitical strategy
and the common interest of building a real European union. Over the years, France
took over the leading role in the space sector and implemented a scheme to optimize the high cost of its missile production lines.
In the early sixties, the Europeans created two separated space agencies, the
European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) and the European
Satellite Research Organisation (ESRO). The first was tasked with building a
launcher called Europa, and the second the scientific satellites
10
to be launched
with the ELDO rocket. However, the launcher suffered many accidents and never
progressed successfully. ESRO meanwhile achieved very good results, to the point
that in the early seventies, the French industry had built its first geostationary satellite for communication between France and its overseas territories.
The Olympic Games, held in 1972 in Germany, provided a unique opportunity
to develop a joint French-German space program, initially called Olympia, and to
broadcast the event worldwide. Paris and Berlin agreed to build a single geostationary satellite, named Symphony,
11
for both the sporting event and overseas
communication needs. In 1967 they set up a joint consortium for the development
of the overall Olympia communication systems, including Symphony.
By the time Symphony was almost completed, the ELDO launcher was still not
ready, so the Europeans turned to NASA to buy an American rocket. At that point,
the US government made appeals to a previous intergovernmental agreement and
required that Symphony be used for non-commercial purposes only, so it could not
go into direct competition with Intelsat.
12
Intelsat was an international organization created to enhance worldwide cooperation in the promising satellite telecommunications market. It was also the forum to coordinate all radio signal emissions
from space. The US had a strong influence on that organization, which in fact used
to buy all its satellites from American industries.
10
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/.
11
Krige, J., A. Russo, and L. Sebesta. A History of the European Space Agency 1958–1987.
Volume I, ESA SP-1235.
12
Academie de Droit International Recueil Des Cours. 1981. Collected Courses of the Hague
Academy of International Law, Volume 166. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 181.
Rocket Science: Globalization and Missiles 27
owning missile technology tend not to share it with others, except for specific and
limited cases. While scientific space missions have often been carried out through
an extensive international collaboration, a rocket engine has never been developed
or produced through a joint cooperation between countries.
Let’s take a look at how joint cooperation played out unevenly with the European
space program, and in particular the Ariane launcher, which remains the workhorse of all of Europe’s space ambitions.
After WWII, France and the UK were the leading nations of the new European
aerospace industry. They cleverly decided to include Germany and Italy within
their satellite and rocket programs, balancing their respective geopolitical strategy
and the common interest of building a real European union. Over the years, France
took over the leading role in the space sector and implemented a scheme to optimize the high cost of its missile production lines.
In the early sixties, the Europeans created two separated space agencies, the
European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) and the European
Satellite Research Organisation (ESRO). The first was tasked with building a
launcher called Europa, and the second the scientific satellites
10
to be launched
with the ELDO rocket. However, the launcher suffered many accidents and never
progressed successfully. ESRO meanwhile achieved very good results, to the point
that in the early seventies, the French industry had built its first geostationary satellite for communication between France and its overseas territories.
The Olympic Games, held in 1972 in Germany, provided a unique opportunity
to develop a joint French-German space program, initially called Olympia, and to
broadcast the event worldwide. Paris and Berlin agreed to build a single geostationary satellite, named Symphony,
11
for both the sporting event and overseas
communication needs. In 1967 they set up a joint consortium for the development
of the overall Olympia communication systems, including Symphony.
By the time Symphony was almost completed, the ELDO launcher was still not
ready, so the Europeans turned to NASA to buy an American rocket. At that point,
the US government made appeals to a previous intergovernmental agreement and
required that Symphony be used for non-commercial purposes only, so it could not
go into direct competition with Intelsat.
12
Intelsat was an international organization created to enhance worldwide cooperation in the promising satellite telecommunications market. It was also the forum to coordinate all radio signal emissions
from space. The US had a strong influence on that organization, which in fact used
to buy all its satellites from American industries.
10
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/.
11
Krige, J., A. Russo, and L. Sebesta. A History of the European Space Agency 1958–1987.
Volume I, ESA SP-1235.
12
Academie de Droit International Recueil Des Cours. 1981. Collected Courses of the Hague
Academy of International Law, Volume 166. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 181.
Rocket Science: Globalization and Missiles 27