Aiming for the Moon: Exploring the Geopolitical Significance of the Artemis Program

Abstract

This thesis is a case study of ongoing U.S. space policy and space exploration efforts aimed at human exploration of the Moon, focusing particularly on the Artemis human lunar exploration program. The thesis assesses the geopolitical significance (including the possible consequences, and near/long-term implications) of said efforts as they relate to questions of international space law, space weaponisation, and the concept of “space power”. To achieve this, the thesis examines four works of theoretical literature dealing with the application of geopolitics theories to the domain of outer space, by authors Everett Dolman, Fraser MacDonald, Nayef Al-Rodhan, and Daniel Deudney. This thesis finds that Artemis is likely to pose a challenge to the existing international outer space regime, wherein outer space is viewed as the common ownership of all humanity. This thesis also finds that the Artemis program, and its associated space efforts, serves to strengthen the ties between the United States and its international partners in space exploration, as well as increasing the ability of the United States to exercise space power and to benefit from future lunar exploitation.