Is Switzerland a space-faring nation?
Dear reader,
For some people, space is the next “frontier” – a realm to be economically exploited, politically dominated and militarily used. This view primarily applies to major powers with the necessary industrial capacity, as well as to big-tech companies that share such ambitions.
But space is vast, and smaller states are also entering the arena. Did you know, for instance, that Luxembourg passed a legal framework for space mining a decade ago?
Switzerland is now debating its own space law. At its core, the proposal aims to regulate Swiss satellites and other commercial activities in space. Switzerland has long been active in space research and develops technologies used in European, American and even Chinese missions. Today, at least 16 countries can launch satellites into orbit, with private companies also involved. More and more states are also setting up space agencies and adopting space legislation.
This has consequences far above our heads:
It also raises questions about the enforcement of United Nations space treaties that have existed for decades. Will the UN prove more effective in space than it has been on Earth? What is clear is that tensions are rising, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Even the exact point at which space begins remains unresolved – an issue that matters when it comes to rocket use, for example, as space should be only militarised to a limited extent. At least in theory.
Switzerland wants to position itself as a bridge-builder in space, mirroring its self-defined role on Earth (read our article here). Acting as a mediator in conflicts beyond our planet would be a logical extension of Swiss diplomacy and good offices. The open question is whether such mediation will actually be needed up there.
What do you think? As always, you can write to me at: giannis.mavris@swissinfo.ch
Best regards,
Giannis Mavris
P.S. If you find the newsletter useful, please feel free to forward it to others – you can subscribe here.
The latest articles on geopolitics
More
A ‘European disaster’: a personal reflection in photographs on the Yugoslav Wars
More
Switzerland has done little more than bare minimum to improve transparency of its financial system
More
Iran deal reaction, Alan Greenspan, and a murky reflecting pool
More
Swiss group supports Gulf oil and gas repairs
More
Inside Geneva: books to make you think
Click here for our overview page on geopolitics.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.