Astropolitik: The Politics, Policies, and Technologies of Outer Space

Catalog description

During the Cold War, the U.S. landed astronauts on the Moon six times before shifting priorities ended the Apollo program. No crew has landed since. Today, however, a new group of nations -- and, for the first time, private companies -- are racing back to achieve strategic technological and geopolitical advantage from orbit, cislunar space, the Moon, and beyond. Astropolitik is an interdisciplinary course situating today’s space activities within the broader context of space and technological history. It examines the evolution of space law and policy, in-space resource utilization (ISRU), and the interplay of security, commerce, and science. Students analyze issues such as space debris, anti-satellite weapons, and resource competition, linking these to terrestrial geopolitics. By course end, students will grasp the STEM foundations and policy frameworks defining space as a central geopolitical domain and be prepared to critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges of humanity’s expansion beyond Earth’s atmosphere.