‘Even worse than you imagine’ - what Artemis II launch was really about

NASA’s Artemis ll mission has blasted off to the moon - with the familiar rhetoric of exploration and human achievement. It’s the first crewed voyage out of low earth orbit in more than half a century - but behind the celebration - another story is taking shape.

The modern ‘space race’ is a high-stakes contest for military, economic and technological dominance here on earth. A contest where whoever controls orbit, controls everything below. 

So what does Artemis tell us about this contest? About the collision of scientific aspiration, strategic military rivalry, and economic leverage? 

How are the world’s governments, militaries and increasingly private companies shaping this orbital order? 

On the latest episode of The Fourcast, Keme Nzerem is joined by Libby Jackson, Head of Space at London’s Science Museum, formerly head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency.

And Gabriel Elefteriu, Senior Research Fellow in Space Power at the Council on Geostrategy. His work is on defence space policy, and the global space power balance.