Description
Space is rapidly becoming a multi-actor domain, no longer dominated solely by the few Cold War powers, it is now the playground of many space-faring actors including medium states and private commercial companies. In this paper we seek to examine the role of fear of death and trust as two alternative explanations for understanding cooperation in space. To do so, we draw on interdisciplinary literature on fear and trust to examine cooperation around the International Space Station (ISS). The paper seeks to contribute to the emerging literature on space diplomacy and trust, arguing that space diplomacy is a unique form of diplomacy which must be understood on its own terms, rather than the long-established territorial model, with its corresponding assumptions and theories.
