OPINION: Why democracies must invest in space

Investing in spacecraft and space technology has become a concern for democratic governments worldwide. Democracies can invest in the tools and norms that preserve open access to space, or the rules will be written by those who do not answer to the public.

Space exploration asks us to think beyond ourselves. Questions of possibility bring responsibility. What do we owe to the generations that will inherit our planet? What kind of humanity do we want to become if we ever live and work beyond Earth? If democracies refrain from asking these questions in public, others who are less transparent and less accountable will answer them for us.

It is a mistake to think of this as merely a contest. Authoritarian regimes may treat outer space as a place to install infrastructure and write the rules unilaterally. In response, democracies must resist the instinct to view this domain solely through a militarized lens. Instead, space exploration can show that the rule of law and cooperative governance can work. Investment in commercial space projects should be accompanied by clear international rules, not a revival of the Cold War-era Space Race. 

Consider how quickly the landscape is evolving. China’s space agency recently released guidelines to take its commercial sector worldwide, potentially challenging existing U.S. laws amid strained ties in space between the two nations. However, in a rare display of cooperation, the Chinese National Space Agency warned NASA of a potential satellite conjunction. As satellite constellations grow, global cooperation is essential to avoid collisions and ensure effective space traffic management.

As companies from China and other countries enter this domain, U.S. firms including Blue Origin, SpaceX and Axiom Space have emerged as market leaders, building ambitious new launch systems and infrastructure while advancing human-flight capabilities. This progress is becoming increasingly international. Europe, as the third big player on the field, must be cautious not to fall behind. 

Poland seems to have gotten the memo and is expanding its footprint within liberal democratic efforts to shape the future of humankind in space. Warsaw has geared up its investments in the U.S. commercial space industry and wants to signal a transition from historical vulnerability to forward-looking ambition, especially in light of Russia’s aggression against the Eastern flank of Europe and the Kremlin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. 

Highlighted by Polish media entrepreneur Zygmunt Solorz’s potential partnership with U.S.-based Axiom Space, space investment is quickly becoming a marker of national identity and strategic orientation. Poland’s modern history was shaped by partitions, invasions and relying on others for security on the ground. Turning to orbit marks a deliberate break with that past, and this shift echoes Poland’s post-1989 trajectory from state control to private initiative. 

Solorz founded and launched Poland’s first private television network, rather than a state-owned outlet, widening access to information and competition at home. His engagement with Axiom Space reflects the same approach: private enterprise aligned with public purpose. Democracies should support this model of investment that attracts private capital and innovation while maintaining the approach to build better products for the public. 

Poland can move from navigating the liabilities of geography to shaping the norms and infrastructure beyond Earth. Yet, the central democratic question remains: Will such ventures be guided by broad public purpose, or by the priorities of a few powerful individuals? Poland can serve as a case study for democracies entering the new space economy; the difference will lie in governance.

The promise of space investment is straightforward: exportable technologies, quality jobs, resilient communications and stronger intelligence. Its value is not national prestige, but the recognition that humanity’s shared challenges demand shared horizons, rules and effort. 

Skeptics will warn of militarization, or projects tailored to entrenched interests. However, these concerns can guide us. Transparent procurement, international oversight, open data (where feasible) and meaningful parliamentary scrutiny can keep ambition accountable. 

Investing in space is a commitment to future generations. It strengthens the systems we rely on at home, from weather and communications to security and disaster response. Above all, it should illustrate that free societies can still act together on goals that outlast a single election cycle, thereby debunking the authoritarian myth that only a single strongman or woman is up to the task.

Alexander Görlach teaches political philosophy at New York University. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.