![]() Depending on where this is assessed, lower flying missiles might not be considered space weapons at all by Deudney’s definition since they do not properly reach space. However, there is another definition that is sorely lacking for both Deudney and the international community: where space begins. In large part, his overall argument about the negative and dangerous nature of space technology and expansionism hinges on his definition of space weapons. He rightly notes that the term space weapon “has been nearly universally used to describe weapons that are either based in orbital space or operate against objects in orbital space” (pg. Arguing that these developments have made the world less safe, Deudney’s only conclusion is that space expansionism is a pernicious development.ĭeudney’s definition of ballistic missiles as space weapons is contentious. All advances in missile defense and technology since, according to Deudney, should rightly be considered space warfare. Noting that ballistic missiles cannot possibly carry out their intended function without space, he writes, “Ballistic missiles are thus inherently space weapons because their basic features and functions as weapons intrinsically, not incidentally, depend on the unique features of space” (pg. Related to this is Deudney’s argument that ballistic missiles should be considered space weapons. Much of this stems from the fact that space technology and its development have historically been linked to both weapons and nuclear war. One core argument Deudney advances in Dark Skies is that developments in space technology have been far darker than space advocates have typically admitted. Part of this unpacking is not just to point out the various forms in which the space expansionist argument has been advanced but to note that “space expansionism is revealed to be deeply conflicted about the most significant actual and prospective human steps into Earth space” (pg. ![]() The largest chunk of his book is then dedicated to unpacking the various ideas of space expansionism from military and technological to different forms of human colonization of space. He follows with a thorough discussion of a framework through which to assess various space expansionist prospects, including their feasibility and desirability. He begins by identifying various “technopolitical alternatives” that he labels technology, humanity, nature and the Earth, society and politics, and knowledge (pg. To be sure, Deudney does not undertake this lightly. While space has often served as a panacea to the potential calamities through technological development or a means of escaping Earth, Deudney begins with a powerful question: is space expansionism really something worth undertaking? Arguing that the question has neither been seriously considered nor answered, Deudney’s book is a multipronged effort toward understanding why, for Deudney, the answer is no. Bowen’s recent books are timely entries into a still unsettled debate about the role of conflict in space and its relationship to more Earth-bound geopolitical strategy.ĭeudney opens his book with a rather dark, dramatic depiction of coming “catastrophic and existential threats,” including nuclear, biotechnological, informational, and ecological (climate change). In this sense, Daniel Deudney’s and Bleddyn E. The relationship between missiles and space is certainly nothing new, but a new era of strategic competition between the United States, Russia, and China is once again highlighting the importance and danger of the space domain. However, the increasing belligerence in both the missile and space domains from Russia and China in recent years has only increased American focus and enhanced capabilities in both areas. While this is generally acknowledged and occasionally limited by things such as the now-defunct Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, it is relatively uncommon to see ballistic missiles of any sort as a space weapon or an element of space warfare. ISBN: 9781474450485.Ĭhina’s recent purported test of a hypersonic weapon that significantly traversed through space before reentering the atmosphere with a nuclear-capable glide body further reinforces the deep relationship between ballistic missiles and the space domain. War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics, by Bleddyn E. ![]() ![]() Dark Skies: Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the Ends of Humanity, by Daniel Deudney. ![]()
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