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Crowded Orbits: Conflict and Cooperation in Space
Space has become increasingly crowded since the end of the Cold War, with new countries, companies, and even private citizens operating satellites and becoming spacefarers. This book offers general readers a valuable primer on space policy from an international perspective. It examines the competing themes of space competition and cooperation while providing readers with an understanding of the basics of space technology, diplomacy, commerce, science, and military applications.
The recent expansion of human space activity poses new challenges to existing treaties and other governance tools for space, increasing the likelihood of conflict over a diminishing pool of beneficial locations and resources close to Earth. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in international space policy debates, James Clay Moltz examines possible avenues for cooperation among the growing pool of space actors, considering their shared interests in space traffic management, orbital debris control, division of the radio frequency spectrum, and the prevention of military conflict. Moltz concludes with policy recommendations for enhanced international collaboration in space situational awareness, scientific exploration, and restraining harmful military activities.
The recent expansion of human space activity poses new challenges to existing treaties and other governance tools for space, increasing the likelihood of conflict over a diminishing pool of beneficial locations and resources close to Earth. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in international space policy debates, James Clay Moltz examines possible avenues for cooperation among the growing pool of space actors, considering their shared interests in space traffic management, orbital debris control, division of the radio frequency spectrum, and the prevention of military conflict. Moltz concludes with policy recommendations for enhanced international collaboration in space situational awareness, scientific exploration, and restraining harmful military activities.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
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179 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 8, 2019
If you already know a decent amount about the history of space policy, then this book is NOT for you. I skimmed it most of the way through then quit early. It told me just about nothing I didn’t already know.
This book is for people who know almost nothing about space issues and don’t *need* to know anything. It’s a very high level glance at the entire space policy enterprise that never provides detail or depth. This book may serve as a jumping off point for a beginner to learn the names of concepts or treaties that may become the focus of further reading. This book alone, however, does not equip a person to understand anything in particular.
This book is for people who know almost nothing about space issues and don’t *need* to know anything. It’s a very high level glance at the entire space policy enterprise that never provides detail or depth. This book may serve as a jumping off point for a beginner to learn the names of concepts or treaties that may become the focus of further reading. This book alone, however, does not equip a person to understand anything in particular.
April 23, 2024
This is an outstanding overview book of all things space. It tackles diplomacy, military, civil, and history back to Copernicus. Its a bit dated as it came out in 2014 but several of his predictions were correct. Despite countries saying theyd be back to the moon by 2020 he said that wouldnt happen but it would in the late 2020s, that seems to be correct. He is also correct that launch got more commercial and small sats are everywhere. The general attitudes of the countries remain the same as well. I definitely learned alot in this book and will hopefully retain 5–10 nuggets. I know i would get another 5-10 reading again!
March 31, 2019
Excellent primer on space issues. Any outdated material is more a matter of the speed of development than any error in the author's projections.
May 26, 2014
Very good high-level overview of current activities in space, and their military/security/political implications. Worthy of re-reading, at least because the book deals with many generalizations about global space activities, and deals with them categorically (first civil uses of space, then commercial uses of space, then military uses of space), so that information in later chapters may shed light on discussions in earlier chapters.
Moltz forecasts three possible future scenarios for space activities: 1) Military hegemony and space dominance by a single powerful State, denying access to space by other States with antagonistic intents. This scenario has historical presence for other domains, such as the high seas and in colonial empires; 2) Piecemeal global engagement, with limited treaties on specific topics, and ad hoc problem solving. This might consist of non-binding guidelines for space debris, and/or binding treaties for non-weaponization or other topics. Nevertheless, progress and consensus on issues is slow and perhaps inadequate to deal with common burdens; and 3) Enhanced international institutions, driven through technological innovations and greater commercial uses of space (for example, space tourism requiring an ICAO for space), or an international institution for space security, space traffic management, or even asteroid mining and international lunar science stations. Basically, an enlightened era of shared interests where States face common challenges collectively using international systems and international law. I can only see the piecemeal, ad hoc efforts going forward, with companies sharing data on space traffic management, nations working on asteroid threats and space debris, and no consensus on security issues. This, of course, leaves no one in charge and has many drawbacks towards innovation, development, and even security concerns.
Recommended for those curious about the political side of outer space, needing an overview of the today's topics, and a status update on what issues are under discussion and what political and technological facts drive the discussions.
Moltz forecasts three possible future scenarios for space activities: 1) Military hegemony and space dominance by a single powerful State, denying access to space by other States with antagonistic intents. This scenario has historical presence for other domains, such as the high seas and in colonial empires; 2) Piecemeal global engagement, with limited treaties on specific topics, and ad hoc problem solving. This might consist of non-binding guidelines for space debris, and/or binding treaties for non-weaponization or other topics. Nevertheless, progress and consensus on issues is slow and perhaps inadequate to deal with common burdens; and 3) Enhanced international institutions, driven through technological innovations and greater commercial uses of space (for example, space tourism requiring an ICAO for space), or an international institution for space security, space traffic management, or even asteroid mining and international lunar science stations. Basically, an enlightened era of shared interests where States face common challenges collectively using international systems and international law. I can only see the piecemeal, ad hoc efforts going forward, with companies sharing data on space traffic management, nations working on asteroid threats and space debris, and no consensus on security issues. This, of course, leaves no one in charge and has many drawbacks towards innovation, development, and even security concerns.
Recommended for those curious about the political side of outer space, needing an overview of the today's topics, and a status update on what issues are under discussion and what political and technological facts drive the discussions.
September 7, 2024
Great book with alot of information on satellites, satellite orbits, space policy, and space governance.
Science fact quotes:
“Rockets that travel into space are normally configured into stacked sections called stages. The first stage, responsible for lifting the whole rocket and its fuel load, is the largest and requires the most thrust. After around two to three minutes, its job is done and-to remove unneeded weight-it separates from the rocket, falling back to Earth (or into the ocean)."
“The second-stage engine then ignites and carries the rocket closer to or into space.”
“The final stages are normally for releasing payloads or positioning them in the proper orbit.”
“The critical actions required to put a satellite into space usually take only six to eight minutes, although putting it into its target orbit may require an additional few hours or more, depending on its inclination and altitude.”
Science fact quotes:
“Rockets that travel into space are normally configured into stacked sections called stages. The first stage, responsible for lifting the whole rocket and its fuel load, is the largest and requires the most thrust. After around two to three minutes, its job is done and-to remove unneeded weight-it separates from the rocket, falling back to Earth (or into the ocean)."
“The second-stage engine then ignites and carries the rocket closer to or into space.”
“The final stages are normally for releasing payloads or positioning them in the proper orbit.”
“The critical actions required to put a satellite into space usually take only six to eight minutes, although putting it into its target orbit may require an additional few hours or more, depending on its inclination and altitude.”
June 16, 2016
Very brisk yet informative update on current space politics, though it could had gone without the childish references to popular science fantasy/fiction media to enact a connection between reader and the occurrences of real space.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews