Oxford Politics Society - Space: the power and the money

Oxford Politics Society have partnered with BISA to open up some of their events to Undergraduate Network members. In this first event, Dr Sarah Lieberman of Canterbury Christ Church University, and former convener of our Astropolitics Working Group, will focus on the commercialisation of space and the impact of billionaires.

We live in the global space age. We are reliant on satellites to map our daily lives, to communicate, to fight wars and to monitor earth’s changing atmosphere. We watch with fascination as space agencies carry out exploration missions further and further from earth. Humanity as come far, and yet outer space still tugs at our curiosity.  

This talk focusses on those who have access to space, for although we use space based hardware, we do not all have access to orbit. Who gets access? And who is considered a space actor?  

Looking first at space agencies and their early work with commercial entities, the talk will move through the ages to the New Space Economy in which the commercial space sector accounts for 78%, and the world’s richest men spend their cash on trips in rockets and ask: who has space power? What is space power? And does it matter if individuals rather than states hold space power?  

Please note this event is open to BISA/BFPG Undergraduate Network members only.

Registration will close two hours before the event begins.