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Creating
a Spacefaring Civilization
By Pat Dasch
NSS Executive Director
Space Activism:
Developing An International Voice
This issue of Ad Astra focuses on international aspects of space exploration
and development, and the National Space Society, as a pro-space activist organization
will be emphasizing the importance of growing our international presence in
the future.
More and more missions and space projects in both the government and commercial
arenas involve partnerships from multiple nations. The International Space Station
is the most visible of these, but it represents a far-reaching multinational
approach to space that is the signature of current space activities. In the
commercial sector, Sea Launch’s Russian, American, and Norwegian launch
services partnership is a prime example of what we can expect in the future,
blurring the idea of what constitutes a “national” space program.
An ever-increasing number of countries are entering space business both as providers
and customers, creating a need for an informed global as well as public voice
on space issues. NSS has made a good start. We currently have members in 37
nations including a significant population of chapters in Australia and a powerful
ally in the Verein zur Förderung der Raumfahrt in Germany.
It is essential to coordinate space regulations internationally in order to
facilitate and accelerate the growth of space commerce. The problems created
in the last 18 months for multinational companies and international space business
by the transfer of responsibility for export license authority for satellites
and components from the Department of Commerce to the Department of State in
the United States provide a prime example of the havoc that can be created and
the damage that can be inflicted on the space industry by legislation that ignores
the international perspective.
With the potential for the commercial development of products in space coming
closer and more serious consideration being given to acquisition of space resources
there is increased talk of revisiting the Moon Treaty of 1979 or developing
legislation that builds on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. All such international
space legislation is handled by the United Nations and this is one reason that
the National Space Society has recently applied to upgrade our U.N. status to
that of observer. We believe the United Nations’ role in space legislation
and regulation will increase substantially over the next few years as the uses
of space grow and as more and more nations join the spacefaring community.
As a first demonstration of international cooperation, I hope that as many NSS
members and chapters as possible will organize educational events and displays
for the celebration of the U.N.-mandated second World Space Week this October
(7-14 October 2001). I have reports from NSS members planning events in Alabama,
Austria, Australia and New York City. Let’s aim for 100 NSS World Space
Week events around the globe! Change starts with education and World Space Week
offers an excellent opportunity to educate members of your community about the
potential of space.
Ad Astra!