Commentary | Emerging Space Programs: the Age of Cooperation

For the last 10 to 20 years, the space sector has witnessed the emergence of new stakeholders starting their investment in space technology or acquiring their first satellite. These “emerging space programs,” understood as countries investing in first- or second-generation satellites, represent a growing share of global space activity and are major business prospects for industry players or cooperation targets for other space agencies. Sri Lanka’s acquisition of a communication satellite from China earlier this year and the interest of Armenia for a similar deal recently disclosed in the press illustrate a growing desire for more countries to hold their own satellite assets.