This ESPI publication, part of the Springer series on Studies in Space Policy, was co-written by our Marco Aliberti — Associate Manager and Lead on International Engagement — and introduces an innovative conceptual framework to measure and classify space actors in a multidimensional context. This newest book builds upon previous ESPI research available here.
To date, there is no efficient and comprehensive way to conceptualise, measure and compare spacepower, and identify which countries are eligible for space power status.
In this latest book, the authors propose an original conceptualisation of space power that takes into account the interaction between two distinct dimensions: decision-making autonomy and executive capacity. The authors then employ this novel conceptual framework to construct a measurement model that allows them to operationalise the concept by measuring space power across both the capacity dimension and the autonomy dimension. Finally, the authors collect empirical data for 11 space actors (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, India, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States) and draft a comparative analysis of the space power of each one of these actors. Ultimately, the authors are able to locate the position of each of the actors considered within a bi-dimensional matrix that they call the superpower matrix.
Link to book:
