Why Do Nations Cooperate in Space

1
Why Do Nations Cooperate in Space?

• Negotiating International Partnerships US
  Perspectives
• George Mason University/School of Public Policy
• October 16, 2008

Peggy Finarelli GMU Senior Fellow
2
International Cooperation 101(Slide 1/3)

• The vast majority of governmental space programs
  are undertaken with international partners
• Space Science, Earth Science, Space
  Infrastructure
• Exceptions
• National security-related activities
• Technology-development programs with near-term
  commercial potential

3
International Cooperation 101(Slide 2/3)

• Do not be misled!
• International cooperation is not an end in itself
• Nations cooperate only when it is their own
  self-interest
• Political gain, economic leverage on investment,
  access to foreign technology, enhanced scientific
  productivity, etc.

4
International Cooperation 101(Slide 3/3)

• There is no abstract definition of Cooperation
• All agreements differ depending on
• The specifics of the project
• What the partners want and need
• Mutual Benefit criterion
• Every partner feels his benefits outweigh his
  costs/risks

5
Types of Cooperation

• Programmatic Enhancement
• Flying equipment/instruments on a foreign
  spacecraft
• ESAs Faint Object Camera on Hubble
• US and French instruments on Japans ADEOS-II
• European and Japanese modules on the original
  Space Station (not on the critical path)
• Programmatic Interdependence
• Providing mission-critical hardware in a joint
  mission
• German Retro-Propulsion Module on Galileo
• ESAs Huygens Probe on Cassini
• Russian hardware on the ISS

6
Types of Cooperation (Contd)

• Ground Truth validation of satellite
  observations
• Consultative Groups/Coordination of Programs
• Halleys Comet
• CEOS, IGOS, GEOSS

7
International Cooperation Pros (Slide 1/2)

• Makes a program more affordable to each
  participating nation
• Creates a critical mass to enable a program
• Leverages investment off others investments
• Expands the scope of a program beyond individual
  participants capabilities
• Taps into an extended base of scientific and
  technological expertise and industrial capability

8
International Cooperation Pros (Slide 2/2)

• Eliminates gaps and overlaps
• Adds robustness and redundancy
• Access multiple systems (e.g. launchers, launch
  facilities, ground networks, in-orbit
  transportation, etc.)
• Adds to the legitimacy of an initiative
• Enhances stability during political transitions
• Provides foreign policy benefits

9
International Cooperation Cons

• Communications problems
• Both mechanical and intercultural
• Management complexity
• Technical and programmatic risk
• Failures and delays have cost and schedule
  implications for partners
• Long-duration programs tend to have cost
  over-runs and redesigns
• Programs can be held hostage to politics
• Domestic regime change impacts
• Large programs have more political oversight

10
Accommodating Partners Needs

• Each potential partner will have its own
  rationale for deciding to cooperate
• Reasons dont have to be the same . . . or even
  close
• Each potential partner will seek political and
  economic leverage on its investment
• Successful cooperation must simultaneously
  satisfy the interests and needs of all partners
• Partners requirements and priorities need to be
  accommodated as they change over time
• Impacts of political regime change
• Expect the unexpected flexibility required!

11
Long-Term Programs . . . A Caveat
In January 1984, President Reagan directed NASA
to develop a permanently manned space station and
invited the nations Cold War friends and
allies to join the program to strengthen peace
. . . and expand freedom . . . for all who share
our goals. Agreements with Europe, Japan and
Canada were signed in 1988. After the fall of
the Soviet Union, in 1993, President Clinton
invited Russia to join the partnership. By
2000, the Station had evolved from a Cold War
demonstration of US leadership, alliance
solidarity and technological might, into an icon
of post-Cold War cooperation with the new
Russia. ISU 2002 Symposium Cline, Finarelli,
Gibbs Pryke
12
Looking Towards Exploration . . .

• Moon/Mars exploration will entail a long-term,
  complex, open-ended set of activities impossible
  to predict in detail at this early stage
• Traditional approach to international cooperation
  (negotiation of roles and responsibilities for
  all partners at the outset) is virtually
  impossible for exploration
• But . . . broad international involvement
  desirable from early stages for political,
  financial and scientific technological reasons
• Coordination of national programs?

13
The Evolving Environment

• The Cold War is over
• Space is no longer a superpower competition
• Europe and Japan now have very active, mature
  space programs
• North American dominance less relevant
• More options besides the US for others
• Competition vs. cooperation
• China has become the third space power with human
  spaceflight capability
• Implications for the US?
• ITAR

14
Parting Thought . . .

• Its not easy to cooperate,
• but its more difficult
• to succeed alone.
• Jean-Jacques Dordain
• ESA Director General
• IAF ISS Symposium, Paris
• July 10, 2008