A South-North Perspective on Space Policy

Space has long been colored by divides between the “haves” who possess the economic and technological wherewithal to make it to orbit and beyond, and the “have-nots” who lack these capabilities. This divide in turn has historically played out between the Global North and the Global South, with the latter grouping feeling as if they have been excluded from sharing in the benefits of space exploration. However, this is only part of the picture. As space becomes both increasingly critical and accessible, there is a need for a more nuanced understanding of how a broader set of global players view the issues surrounding these capabilities. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Laura Delgado López, a Visiting Fellow with the CSIS Americas Program. Together, they discuss the evolving and divergent space policies that can be found throughout Latin America. They also unpack her new report Orbital Dynamics: The Domestic and Foreign Policy Forces Shaping Latin American Engagement in Space and some of the key findings from this yearlong investigation into regional perspectives on space policy and international engagement.