The Way Forward

A dystopian, hyper-technological future in space is often represented in pop culture, and these fears aren’t all too unrealistic: Many places around the world have had to prepare for being in the trajectory of space debris or struck by parts of a rocket. For Chris Boshuizen the differences between the failure and the success of our future lie in the details.

We must choose very carefully “how we build things, what we design, and how we put it into our society,” he says. Because what happens in space, in some way or another, affects us all. The International Space Station is a perfect example of how space can facilitate international collaboration, it being the biggest peacetime venture ever undertaken.

If you imagine, at this very moment, Thomas Pesquet is on the International Space Station together with six other astronauts from France, Russia, the US and Japan. He and the crew experience the diplomatic effect of international collaboration firsthand.

From up there, they understand that we humans all sit on the same spaceship, driven by the same sense of exploration and discovery. Thomas knows that the era of “astronauts only” in space is over. This development is linked to the New Space Movement which nurtures his optimism regarding more peaceful collaboration.

In space, we transcend our - if we may say so - human pettiness, and tackle larger projects in unison. Today this is accelerated by the emergence of private space companies.

These bottom-up developments present a chance for the greater public to be integrated into a previously closed circle of traditional space institutions. More and more people empowered to act means an increased critical mass that accelerates governmental negotiations.

Space exploration does not exist in a metaphorical vacuum, as the industry has real-life applications both diplomatic and in our daily lives.

But to foster a harmonious alliance between industry and government, we must define policies and regulations which ensure that space is available to everyone, harms no one in the process and that we do not repeat the same mistakes that we have already made on Earth.

Space travel includes, but also transcends, larger philosophical questions by having a much more practical application to our life on Earth: from inventions that aid our daily lives to climate change mitigation. Ideally, industry and governments work hand in hand in the sector.

Katherine Bennell explains that it is the role of governments to “cover the gaps on the path to get there,” for them to invest in places where it might be too early for private investors to succeed. This creates a competitive advantage and kickstarts a healthy marketplace.

Of course not every country is equipped with a space agency - that is until you make it happen. Rogel Mari Sese’s career is incredibly unique in that he actively helped the construction of his home country’s space agency, the Philippines. This took being “idealistic and being a dreamer but at the same time being a pragmatist and a realist,” and inviting an interdisciplinary approach that transcends the theoretical and academic sides to ensure a holistic and democratic development.

In order to reap the incredible benefits which space exploration gives us, we must continue to inspire everyone from young to old about space. A sort of ‘Medici Effect’ must occur: when, through diversity, increased creativity and innovation happens

William started his career at a time in which nobody thought that the US would ever collaborate with Russia. Back then he was embedded in the Russian space program and experienced firsthand how space unites humanity by melting down geopolitical borders and transcending the Cold War.

At the end of the day, the mission we collectively have for space exploration is to improve life on Earth for all of humanity.

Just like nobody ever thought of Russia and the US collaborating, China and the US risk facing a duel of giants in space as the result of a peak in recent geopolitical tensions. Kun Fu nevertheless sends a reminder that he would love to work together with the American space pioneers and learn from one another.

Missions such as The Karman Project aid in this exchange; the opportunity for an open dialogue to generate new ideas.

Imagine tackling some of the world’s biggest problems together. Sounds like a dream? This is Ke Wang and The Karman Project’s mission. Ke began her career in legal work with the dream to improve international relationships between the US and China.

It wasn’t until she was introduced to the space world that she realised that it had the ability to unite and lead us together. When you envision a fruitful collaboration between nations, it is easy to understand how the topics of the international space agenda can create bridges.

Oftentimes collaboration between international space agencies and with private players in the sector is crucial for a successful mission. Throughout his 30 years as the Director-General of the European Space Agency, Jean-Jacques Dordain learned that the key to a successful negotiation is to listen to your counterpart and to realize you are speaking to a human, not to a nation or an enterprise.

The consequence is a change in the dynamic: From top-down to button-up.

The emergence of a community such as The Karman Project is a natural consequence in regards to peaceful international relations. In a sense, space functions as a laboratory - Hélène Huby would call it “a scientific sandbox” - for humans to find applicable solutions to not only improve life on and save certain parts of the Earth but also to ensure our peaceful future as a multi-planetary species.

After all, we are not necessarily doing all of this for our direct futures, but as Hélène says, we are building “on the shoulders of people who were before us, to prepare the best for the people who will follow.”