Geopolitics

Slovenia has become the 39th Signatory to the Artemis Accords after it and NASA affirmed their cooperation in future space endeavors on Friday. The signing certified Slovenia’s commitment to pursue safe and sustainable exploration of space for the benefit of humanity and took place during a U.S.-Slovenia strategic dialogue in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Offices.

Sweden has become the latest and 38th signatory to the Artemis Accords, as Swedish Minister for Education Dr. Mats Persson signed the accords on behalf of Sweden at an event in Stockholm. Participants at the signing included Persson and Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan, the U.S. ambassador to Sweden, who gave remarks welcoming Sweden to the Accords family. Pre-recorded remarks by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson played during the ceremony as well.

Switzerland has become the 37th member of the Artemis Accords, as Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister for Economic Affairs, Education & Research, signed the Accords on behalf of Switzerland at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, April 15. The signature consequently affirms Switzerland’s commitment to the sustainable and beneficial use of space for all humankind.

According to State Space Corporation Roscosmos anouncements on Thursday 11 April 2024, followed by Agence TASS reports, an Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket with an Orion booster launched from the Vostochny spaceport in Russia’s Far East on its third attempt.In about 12 minutes, the Orion booster separated from the Angara upper stage and proceeded to a double orbital insertion: first a cube sat in lower orbit, then a test-payload delivered into the targetted geostationary orbit as part of the rocket’s flight development tests.

The European Space Law, a flagship project of the EU aimed at protecting satellites and ensuring safer and more sustainable space flights, initially scheduled for release this month of April 2024, is again delayed. It is unlikely that the European Space Law will make it in the current EU legislative season, which poses significant risks.

On 12 March 2024, the Prague Security Studies Institute hosted a public online guest lecture with Dr. John Klein, Senior Fellow and Strategist at the Falcon Research, Inc. on the topic of “Space and Irregular Warfare”. In Part 2, we will review some burning questions covered in the lecture Q&A and how Dr. Klein comprehensively answered them, going the extra mile to provide advice for practical implementation.

During the first day of the 39th Space Symposium, Torsten Kriening spoke with Major General Michael Traut, Commander of the German Space Command of the German Air Force, about the status of the command, the current threats and the needed capabilities for the future.

In our inaugural interview from Space Foundation ' Space Symposium 2024 , we spoke with Aarti Holla-Maini , Director of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and touched upon the new exciting endeavour of the UN Space Bridge and the Pact of the Future.

Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, today welcomed Mitsubishi Corporation as a strategic partner and equity owner in Starlab Space. This partnership expands Starlab Space's reach beyond a transatlantic partnership and transforms the joint venture into a global organization.

Thailand has become the latest country to join the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program as the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation jointly signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU). Both countries signed an MoU on cooperation in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space and an MoU on cooperation with the International Lunar Research Station.