<p>Astropolitik: The Politics, Policies & Technologies of Outer Space<i> invites students to investigate the strategic forces shaping humanity’s expansion into space from great-power competition and commercial ambition to ethics, governance, and social purpose. Here are the coolest components of the course, taught by <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/21257-delaine-mayer.html">DeLaine Mayer</a>.</i></p>
Exploring Space as a Strategic Domain
<p>Space has become a core arena of global competition. Students examine how strides made in space potentially translate into geopolitical, economic, and military leverage on Earth. Through the lens of technopolitics, the class explores how satellites, navigation systems, and orbital infrastructure underpin everything from global communications to climate monitoring as students hear directly from practitioners shaping today’s strategic landscape.</p>
Probe the Rapidly Expanding Realm of Space Economy
<p>Commercial ambition is also accelerating humanity’s push outward. Students dive into emerging industries such as asteroid mining, lunar resource extraction, and propulsion innovation, guided by leaders who are building these technologies right now. Participants gain firsthand insights into asteroid mining, and how startups and private capital are transforming access to space. Understand the governance challenges of frontier technologies—how law, policy, and ethics must evolve alongside rapid innovation.</p>
Understand How Space Will Shape Planetary Futures
<p>Explore how orbital systems support environmental monitoring, humanitarian response, and global security while analyzing potential risks such as space debris, environmental geopolitics, and the ethics of expanding human presence beyond Earth. Discover how pressing topics such as inclusion, sustainability, and social purpose are critical components of space governance.</p>
Expansive Insights into the Next Frontier
<p>By integrating history, policy, technology, law, and ethics with insights from leading practitioners, <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/center-for-global-affairs.html">Astropolitik: The Politics, Policies & Technologies of Outer Space</a> helps students understand space not as science fiction, but as a real, contested domain where power, infrastructure, and planetary futures are being shaped today.</p>
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