The Artemis Accords are an international agreement first drafted by NASA and the US government that aim towards establishing a framework for civil space activities by civil space agencies regarding...Show moreThe Artemis Accords are an international agreement first drafted by NASA and the US government that aim towards establishing a framework for civil space activities by civil space agencies regarding the Moon, Mars, asteroids and comets. The Accords have been signed by multiple states, in particular those that are willing to play a role in the US-led Artemis Program for renewed human spaceflight to the Moon. The Accords have been controversial among experts in the field of space governance. Experts have claimed that the Artemis Accords do not respect space as a commons and that the Accords have important shortcomings that hamper its ability to facilitate sustainable space governance. Others have primarily criticized the Artemis Accords for the tensions it has increased between the US and states like Russia or the People's Republic of China, as some believe the US are actively trying to influence the governance of space in their favour. Some fear that this can lead to attempts to overtly weaponize space. This research aims to look at both of these criticisms, by first assessing to what extent the Artemis Accords comply with or violate the principles associated with sustainable governance of a commons and looking at the Accords and its contents in detail. Then, the effects this has on the weaponization of space will be considered and discussed in order to better understand how the Artemis Accords are influencing the weaponization of space.Show less
Space and its military uses are increasingly attracting the attention of the world's chancelleries. Last year Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a new French space command, while Trump's...Show moreSpace and its military uses are increasingly attracting the attention of the world's chancelleries. Last year Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a new French space command, while Trump's Space Force recently became the sixth branch of the US armed forces. This research aims to shed light on the evolution of the European Space Policy and its impact on the operations carried out under the umbrella of the Common Security and Defence Policy. The military applications of the European flagship programmes Galileo and Coperniucs offer an interesting case study to understand the supranational intertwining of the space and defence domains, which culminated with the setup of the DG Defence Industry and Space. The thesis makes use of the neofunctionalist theory and its most useful theoretical concepts to delve into the relevant events concerning European space governance.Show less
