Astropolitics: The Human Relationship to the Space Enterprise

The Astropolitics: The Human Relationship to the Space Enterprise Professional Development Course provides a comprehensive analysis of civil, commercial, private, and military space activities in the United States and worldwide addressing historical, strategic, political, bureaucratic, organizational, environmental, legal, economic, commercial, and business factors. This three-day course is based on lectures and discussions led by Eligar Sadeh, Ph.D., including reading materials of relevant articles and publications.

In-depth explorations of case studies are addressed as well in this course. Case studies are tailored to meet specific interests. Examples include: space and global environmental change; space governance and sustainable uses of space; international and national space law; space commerce and privatization of space activities; international space cooperation; space power and militarization of space; and program and project management of space activities.

 Course Overview Link

In this course, you will learn about the processes of space development at several levels of analysis including agenda setting, formulation, and implementation. Agenda setting concerns the context of the space age, rationales for space programs, and the advocates of those programs. Formulation focuses on actors and institutions, and the role they play in establishing space programs. Implementation deals with the organization and management of space programs.

1. Agenda Setting: Context of Space Development

• Historical Dimensions of the Space Age
• Rationales of Space Programs
• Space Advocacy Coalitions and Organizations

2. Formulation: Actors and Institutions

• Governmental
• Non-Governmental
• Commercial and Private

3. Implementation: Process of Space Development

• Organizations and Bureaucracies
• Program and Project Management

4. Case Studies (Examples):

• Space and Global Environmental Change
• Space Governance and Sustainable Uses of Space
• International and National Space Law
• Space Commerce and Privatization of Space Activities
• International Space Cooperation
• Space Power and Militarization of Space
• Program and Project Management of Space Activities

Eligar Sadeh, Ph.D., Aerospace Professional, Professor and Educator, and Entrepreneur. Eligar currently serves as Founder and CEO of Astroconsulting International LLC, which empowers space, defense, and environmental programs and projects with the critical technology management skills to optimize outcomes; Chief Editor of the academic journal Astropolitics; Founder and CEO of the Astropolitics Institute; and is affiliated with with the International Space University and the University of Colorado. Previously, Eligar held professorships in Space and Defense Studies in the College of Aerospace Sciences, Department of Space Studies at the University of North Dakota, and in the Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Eligar also worked for Lockheed Martin Space Systems as an Aerospace Systems Engineer on NASA spacecraft, and served as a Research Associate with the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University. Eligar published a number of books and book chapters on space issues, as well as research papers in the academic journals of Space Policy, Astropolitics, and Acta Astronautica. Eligar holds Ph.D., Master, and B.S. degrees with subject matter expertise in Space Studies, Environmental Studies, International Studies, Science and Technology Studies, Technology Management, Project Management, Systems Engineering, Engineering Leadership, Bioengineering, Bioastronautics, Remote Sensing, and Astrophysics.