exploration program since the seventies, thanks to the technological support of
Moscow. After WWII, Russia was interested in removing British influence over
the continent and making it a containment area towards Beijing. Over the years,
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has developed advanced research
and production centres for launchers and satellites, spending more than $1 billion
per year to build and launch its own space systems.
In 2007, the Indian Air Force published the strategic document Defence Space
Vision-2020,
61
where the Minister of Defence stated that “in Space it could be difficult to distinguish between peaceful and military uses”. Political leaders, including those in India, have publicly emphasized space achievements and announced
ambitious national programs to stimulate national pride and give strengthen their
global image.
More recently, ISRO has shown a growing interest in a future space-based solar
power plant. The country largely depends on energy imports. In 2012, India spent
$330 million daily to cover 82% of its annual national consumption.
62
This new
source of energy could be a future strategic objective.
In the light of this brief analysis of the global geopolitical framework, we can
now try to outline the possible shape of space exploration into the near future.
In some ways, the first two decades of the twenty-first century seem quite similar to the ones of the twentieth century. The world is in the middle of a pervasive
process of globalization that has brought an ever-increasing exchange of goods,
markets and information. Many involved nations seem to aspire to a new peaceful
world order, wherein – as Angell theorized –globalization can prevent wars and
conflicts such as those fought in the last century.
In 1999, the well-known US political scientist Kenneth Waltz, said that WWI
had caused a “great disillusionment”,
63
undermining the foundations of global
political optimism that lasted until the end of the Cold War. According to Waltz,
from that moment on, an American technological and political domination took
place, whereby
What appears to us as globalization, is instead perceived by the rest of the
world, or by most of it, simply as a sort of Americanization. In other words,
the world is no longer bipolar, it is now unipolar. There is only one power. A
situation that humankind had not experienced since ancient Rome. However,
that kingdom was a limited part of the world. Nowadays, the kingdom is the
whole world.
64
61
Molz, James Clay. 2012. Asia’s Space Race: National Motivations, Regional Rivalries and
International Risks. Columbia University Press, 128.
62
India Central Statistical Office website.
63
Waltz, Kenneth N. 1999. Globalization and governance. Political Science and Politics 32 (4):
693–700. Published by American Political Science Association.
64
Waltz, Kenneth N. 1999. Globalization and governance. Political Science and Politics 32 (4):
693–700. Published by American Political Science Association.
Technopolitics of Space Between History and Realpolitik 79
Moscow. After WWII, Russia was interested in removing British influence over
the continent and making it a containment area towards Beijing. Over the years,
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has developed advanced research
and production centres for launchers and satellites, spending more than $1 billion
per year to build and launch its own space systems.
In 2007, the Indian Air Force published the strategic document Defence Space
Vision-2020,
61
where the Minister of Defence stated that “in Space it could be difficult to distinguish between peaceful and military uses”. Political leaders, including those in India, have publicly emphasized space achievements and announced
ambitious national programs to stimulate national pride and give strengthen their
global image.
More recently, ISRO has shown a growing interest in a future space-based solar
power plant. The country largely depends on energy imports. In 2012, India spent
$330 million daily to cover 82% of its annual national consumption.
62
This new
source of energy could be a future strategic objective.
In the light of this brief analysis of the global geopolitical framework, we can
now try to outline the possible shape of space exploration into the near future.
In some ways, the first two decades of the twenty-first century seem quite similar to the ones of the twentieth century. The world is in the middle of a pervasive
process of globalization that has brought an ever-increasing exchange of goods,
markets and information. Many involved nations seem to aspire to a new peaceful
world order, wherein – as Angell theorized –globalization can prevent wars and
conflicts such as those fought in the last century.
In 1999, the well-known US political scientist Kenneth Waltz, said that WWI
had caused a “great disillusionment”,
63
undermining the foundations of global
political optimism that lasted until the end of the Cold War. According to Waltz,
from that moment on, an American technological and political domination took
place, whereby
What appears to us as globalization, is instead perceived by the rest of the
world, or by most of it, simply as a sort of Americanization. In other words,
the world is no longer bipolar, it is now unipolar. There is only one power. A
situation that humankind had not experienced since ancient Rome. However,
that kingdom was a limited part of the world. Nowadays, the kingdom is the
whole world.
64
61
Molz, James Clay. 2012. Asia’s Space Race: National Motivations, Regional Rivalries and
International Risks. Columbia University Press, 128.
62
India Central Statistical Office website.
63
Waltz, Kenneth N. 1999. Globalization and governance. Political Science and Politics 32 (4):
693–700. Published by American Political Science Association.
64
Waltz, Kenneth N. 1999. Globalization and governance. Political Science and Politics 32 (4):
693–700. Published by American Political Science Association.
Technopolitics of Space Between History and Realpolitik 79