International Cooperation for the Development of Space

This book examines the tremendous benefits that come when we think beyond the boundaries of national interests and consider the venture and adventure into space as a matter of shared ambition, shared knowledge, shared risk, and shared benefit across all of humanity. In our previous books on the meaning and significance of space we have explored a broad range of these themes and topics, starting first in Beyond Earth with a broad examination of many different issues, and then in our second volume with a collection of writings about the challenges and opportunities that Living in Space will present. In the third volume in this series we examined the future of business in space, Space Commerce. The underlying premise of each of these books is that space is not only an irresistible lure for our imaginations, but also an inevitable destination for our serious goals and ambitions. Collectively, the many authors who have contributed their works to this series are committed to the realities of life, science, culture, and business in space, and we all agree that extending civilization into space is both a valid destination that will ultimately be home to millions and billions of us, and so in a very real way it also will become humanity's destiny.