For Prof Dr Kai-Uwe Schrogl, this volume fills a long-standing research gap in the German-language literature on the strategic importance of space. There has been no comparable comprehensive analysis since the 1987 publication ‘Raumfahrt und internationale Politik’. The almost 900-page volume presents a fundamental and multi-layered view of space, which is indispensable in areas such as security, climate protection and resource management. Space is understood not only as an economic potential, but also as a geopolitical field of tension in which military and security policy conflicts increasingly play a role. The editors and contributors offer an interdisciplinary approach that integrates technological, political and legal perspectives and has both practical and scientific relevance, Schrogl continues.
The reviewer considers the emphasis on Europe's contribution to space policy to be particularly positive, although it still needs to position itself more strongly in the international context. Finally, the contributions offer not only well-founded analyses, but also concrete recommendations for the further development of a European space strategy, with a focus on sustainability and resilience. Overall, the anthology represents an impressive, scientifically sound and practice-orientated analysis of space competition and thus makes a significant contribution to German-language research and discussion.