THE ROLE OF SMALLER POWERS IN THE NEW SPACE RACE
This new moon race may lead to military competition and potentially to conflict, given that human history is rife with competition over resources leading to war.
Indeed, while the moon becomes the centrepiece of space competition, China and Russia see the US Space Force as a direct threat, while the United States has recently accused Russia of developing a nuclear weapon in space, and brought a resolution to the UN Security Council with the support of Japan.
Unsurprisingly, Russia vetoed this resolution, and its proposed changes were counter-vetoed by France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Space security is now very much on the international peace and security agenda.
This is where middle and smaller powers can play a critical role. European countries partner in Artemis, and Europe has proven to be the leader in space diplomacy, through UN initiatives responding to military threats to space systems.
The European Space Agency also leads the new Zero Debris Charter in response to the hazards created by the unmanageable space traffic made up of thousands of satellites and more than a hundred million pieces of debris. Building on such measures will be crucial to ensure new activities on the moon remain sustainable and peaceful.
