Experts in international affairs need to find ways to use space; but they should use space in part as a way of thinking outside their own toolbox. In other words, we need to apply systems thinking, using space as a tool for improving our international standing in various parts of the world.
Read MoreIt really wasn’t that long ago when the two greatest superpowers were vying to put satellites into space. Now, 50 nations have their own satellites in low Earth orbit. If you’re a Thailand, say, you can call Space Systems/Loral, a Canadian-owned company based in Palo Alto, California, and tell them you want to put a satellite into geostationary orbit for television broadcasting or military communications. You can have the thing in orbit 25,000 miles above Earth within two years.
