Spaceflight is currently in the midst of rapid transformation. But for politicians, this important topic unfortunately still sounds far too often like pie in the sky. We Greens/EFA are now the first political group in the European Parliament to present a comprehensive positioning on space policy.
It is urgently time to set the course for the future of space. We need new international rules to ensure that human spaceflight is conducted for the benefit and in the interest of all. With our new strategy paper on space policy, we Greens/EFA have now made the political move.
At the center of our thought we place the principle that space belongs to all of humanity. We want to ensure that access to and exploration of space does not remain the privilege of a few rich nations or even private individuals.
Space must remain accessible to all nations and to future generations. This means, for example, that we must better regulate the allocation of satellite space and the disposal of space debris – otherwise the path to space could one day be blocked.
We oppose the militarization of space and will work with international partners to stop the current trend of threats and military exercises in space. Instead, we promote civilian, peaceful spaceflight in the spirit of research and international cooperation. For example, space can make an enormous contribution to tackling climate change through satellite-based Earth observation.
We are committed to ensuring that the European Union plays a central role in international space policy and strengthens international cooperation, particularly in the field of science. We also want to maintain European access to space and strengthen the astronaut program.
We hope that the other groups will follow our example. Currently, facts are being created in various areas of space, while legal regulation is lagging behind. The challenges are many – it is up to all of us to put space on the agenda and get policies in place that move us forward as humanity.
The full paper can be downloaded HERE.
