Space control and global hegemony

Abstract

This article argues that in addition to ideology and an ensuing discourse, one-if not the only-effective grand strategic means for a great power to establish global hegemony is through space control. Today, the sole power with both the will and the capability to achieve the grand strategic end of hegemony is the United States, which spends nearly as much on space and armaments as all other countries combined. However, time is not on the side of the United States. Unless it proves able to secure control of space in the coming few years, the European Union and Russia will hardly consent to U.S. domination of space-and through it world politics. Thus, military space control is not the only way ahead. © 2009 Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.