Star Wars Again? Space and Geopolitics. An Expert Discussion

On April 10 the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion titled Star Wars Again? Space and Geopolitics. Twenty-two years after the first manned space flight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin the Ronald Reagan administration launched the Strategic Defence Initiative. Thanks to its space components and technology it was named Star Wars. The programme was never implemented but its development prompted a number of scientific studies that are still under development today. Space technologies are penetrating intelligence communications and operations management more and more. Almost all military campaigns of the last three decades have reflected the increasing role of the space component. The current conflict in Ukraine provides proof of this. At the same time new players are emerging in the space arena. If the USA and the USSR Russia used to dominate there now China and India are playing an increasingly active role. What are the current trends in space exploration? What role do anti-missile anti-satellite and nuclear space programmes play in national projects? Why compared to the Cold War period is space activity fading into the background both in politics and in culture? Speakers: Andrey Klepach Chief Economist of VEB Advisor to the General Director of the State Corporation Roscosmos Nayak Shailesh Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies India Valentin Uvarov Director of ANO Space Economics and Policy Moderator: Ivan Timofeev Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club,

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