A Rare Opportunity for Space Diplomacy

摘要

The dawn of the space age coincided with fears of a surprise nuclear attack because the vehicle that launched Sputnik could also be used to loft a nuclear warhead. Since 1957, many treaties and less formal agreements have been negotiated to reduce nuclear dangers, while the record of diplomatic accomplishment regarding space has been relatively sparse. U.S. President Barack Obama has a rare opportunity to make greater headway on space security, but success is far from assured.