Transatlantic Space Politics: Competition and Cooperation Above the Clouds (Space Power and Politics)

This Book Examines Transatlantic Politics Through An Analysis Of 60 Years Of Us-european Strategic Interaction In Space. The Significance Of Space Politics For The Study Of Transatlantic Relations Receives Surprisingly Little Scholarly Attention. As A Theatre Of Interaction, Transatlantic Space Politics Reflects The Vicissitudes Of European And Us Power In The International System. An Understanding Of Space Politics Is Therefore Vital In Understanding The Status And Prospect Of The Transatlantic Order. Using Established Ir Theories, The Author Investigates Transatlantic Space Politics And Proposes A Theoretical Explanation, Which Is Distinct From The Conventional Wisdom Of The Transatlantic Security Community. More Specifically, He Distinguishes Between The Constitutive And Regulatory Effects Of The Transatlantic Security Community, An Approach Rarely Employed In Other Research In The Field. Overall, This Book Suggests Not Only That The Transatlantic Institutional Pillar Requires Repair, But Also That The Ideational Factors Need To Be Revitalised In Order To Consolidate The Transatlantic Alliance.this Book Will Be Of Much Interest To Students Of Space Power, Transatlantic Politics, Strategic Studies, Foreign Policy And Ir/security Studies In General--,this Book Examines Transatlantic Politics Through An Analysis Of 60 Years Of Us-european Strategic Interaction In Space. The Significance Of Transatlantic Space Politics For The Study Of Transatlantic Relations Receives Surprisingly Little Scholarly Attention. As A Theatre Of Transatlantic Interaction, Transatlantic Space Politics Reflects The Vicissitudes Of European And Us Power In The International System. An Understanding Of Transatlantic Space Politics Is Therefore Vital In Understanding The Status And Prospect Of The Transatlantic Order. Using Established Ir Theories, The Author Investigates Transatlantic Space Politics And Proposes A Theoretical Explanation, Which Is Distinct From The Conventional Wisdom Of The Transatlantic Security Community. More Specifically, He Distinguishes Between The Constitutive And Regulatory Effects Of The Transatlantic Security Community, An Approach Rarely Employed In Other Research In The Field. Overall, This Book Suggests Not Only That The Transatlantic Institutional Pillar Requires Repair, But Also That The Ideational Factors Need To Be Revitalised In Order To Consolidate The Transatlantic Alliance. This Book Will Be Of Much Interest To Students Of Space Power, Transatlantic Politics, Strategic Studies, Foreign Policy And Ir/security Studies In General-- Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 Acknowledgements 10 List of Abbreviations 12 1. Introduction: The Multi-Faceted Transatlantic Space Politics 14 Problematic Regulatory Effect of the Transatlantic Security Community on Transatlantic Space Politics 17 Arguments 25 Case Selection 34 The Structure of the Book 37 Notes 42 2. History Matters: Space Policy Evolution in the United States and Europe 45 Physical Attributes of the Space Environment and the Political Essence of Space Technology and Space Activity 46 Space Environment: Physically Infinite, with Limited Available Resources 46 Space Technology and Space Activity: Instruments to Acquire Space Resources and Embodiment of International Politics 49 Evolution of the US Space Policy 53 The Cold War Period: Leadership of the Alliance 54 The Post-Cold War Era: Space Dominance 56 Evolution of the European Space Policy 59 Years of ELDO and ESRO: Period of Disarray 60 Years of the ESA: Coherence toward Autonomy/Independence 63 Notes 65 3. Cutting the Umbilical Cord: Transatlantic Competition in the Field of Space Transportation 67 Development of the US Launch Vehicles: A Declining Monopoly 69 The Development of Expendable Launch Vehicles 71 The Space Shuttle Decision 73 Development of the European Launch Vehicles: Phoenix Revived from the Ashes 75 The Fiasco of the Europa Launcher 77 Success of the the Ariane Launcher 79 Transatlantic Competition 80 Causal Mechanism of the Case 86 Limits of Alternative Explanations: Security Community, Security Dependence, and Declining Hegemon 88 Neoliberal Institutionalism versus the Realist Offense–Defense Balance 89 Notes 93 4. Springboard to Lunar and Solar Space:Transatlantic Cooperation in the International Space Station Program 95 The US Decision on the Space Station: Budgetary Stringency versus Visions in Space 98 NASA’s Incremental Strategy 98 Invitation to Foreign Partners 101 European Rumination: Vigilant about Benefits and Risks 105 Early Reflections 106 Reflections after Russia Stepped In 109 Crises during the Period of Transatlantic Cooperation 110 Causal Mechanism of the Case 115 Limits of Alternative Explanations: Security Community, Ideological Conflict, and the Realist Offense–Defense Balance 116 Hegemonic Stability Theory Versus Neoliberal Institutionalism 117 Notes 121 5. Europe Opens Its Eyes: Transatlantic Dispute in the Field of Satellite Navigation 123 The US Global Positioning System: A Strategic Space Asset with a Military Origin 125 The European Galileo Satellite Navigation System: Rising Demand for Autonomous Security Assurance 128 Strategy Shift during the Transatlantic Dispute 132 The Competition Phase 132 Turning to Cooperation 136 Causal Mechanism of the Case 141 Limits of Alternative Explanations: Security Community, Security Dependence, and the Realist Alliance Theory 143 Hegemonic Stability Theory Versus Neoliberal Institutionalism 144 Notes 147 6. Dual-Space Dominance versus Autonomy in Space: Developing Cases of Transatlantic Space Politics 149 The US Vision for Space Exploration: Attempt at Dual-Space Dominance 150 The European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security: Consolidating Autonomy in Space 154 Causal Mechanism of the Cases 161 Notes 163 7. Conclusion: Thinking beyond the Canopy 164 Alliance above the Clouds: A Synthetic Analysis of the Empirical Case Studies 167 Political Autonomy, Pivotal Positions/Markets, and Classical Geopolitics in Space 168 Flexible Balance of Strategic Interests and Marginalization of Ideological Conflict and Security Dependence 172 Congruence between Theoretical Expectations and Empirical Evidence 176 Interaction Process According to Realism: Expedient Alliance and Offense–Defense Balance to Promote Security 176 Interaction Process According to Hegemonic Stability Theory: Importance of Allies and Influence of Hegemon’s Power and Resources 180 Interaction Process According to Neoliberal Institutionalism: Mixed-Motive Situation and Institutional Arrangement to Maximize Utility 183 Concluding Remarks 186 Notes 191 Bibliography 192 Index 216 "This book examines transatlantic politics through an analysis of 60 years of US-European strategic interaction in space. The significance of space politics for the study of transatlantic relations receives surprisingly little scholarly attention. As a theatre of interaction, transatlantic space politics reflects the vicissitudes of European and US power in the international system. An understanding of space politics is therefore vital in understanding the status and prospect of the transatlantic order. Using established IR theories, the author investigates transatlantic space politics and proposes a theoretical explanation, which is distinct from the conventional wisdom of the transatlantic security community. More specifically, he distinguishes between the constitutive and regulatory effects of the transatlantic security community, an approach rarely employed in other research in the field. Overall, this book suggests not only that the transatlantic institutional pillar requires repair, but also that the ideational factors need to be revitalised in order to consolidate the transatlantic alliance. This book will be of much interest to students of space power, transatlantic politics, strategic studies, foreign policy and IR/security studies in general"-- Provided by publisher