A Research Agenda for Space Policy

This essential guide reframes how we understand space governance by treating space policy itself as a subject worthy of critical examination rather than simply accepting existing frameworks. The collection brings together international experts who map the complex intersections between space activities and pressing global concerns including national security, economic welfare, and societal development. Rather than offering prescriptive solutions, the book establishes a forward-looking research agenda that identifies the most critical challenges and conflicts emerging in space governance for the coming decade. It presents space policy as a multifaceted spectrum where technological capabilities, legal frameworks, and geopolitical interests converge.

What distinguishes this volume is its methodological approach of making space policy definition itself the object of analysis, creating space for more nuanced understanding of how different actors conceptualize and operationalize space governance. The research agenda format makes it particularly valuable for policymakers, academic researchers, and graduate students seeking to understand where the field is heading and where their work could have the greatest impact. By systematically identifying the key problems and theoretical gaps in current space policy discourse, this collection provides the conceptual tools needed to navigate the increasingly crowded and contested domain of space activities. The book's greatest contribution may be in establishing a common framework for analyzing how space policy decisions ripple across security, economic, and social dimensions of modern life.