ii. Ensure steady space funding

Ensure steady space funding

Key recommendations

➢ Improve "space literacy" among political leaders and decision makers. ➢ Simplify administrative processes and build strong institutions. ➢ Implement long term space funding commitments of 5-10 years. ➢ Ensure long term planning and transparency.

Space programs require steady funding to remain viable. Unfortunately, the space sector is often one of the first areas to suffer from funding cuts in times of economic hardship. Erratic funding is likely to have an outsized impact on projects, with the added risk of driving away technical talent and foreign investment. In the long term, the risk of losing highly trained and educated workers could lead to greater economic losses than the initial funding cuts sought to compensate.

The Alcântara tragedy in Brazil serves as a reminder of the need for stable funding of national space programs.321 Brazil’s national space program experienced unstable funding, relating to economic downturns, when space was deprioritized in public spending.322 In the late 1990s, the Brazilian space program initiated development of the VLS-1, a launch vehicle designed to deliver 350 kg payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO) from Alcântara launch site on the Northern Atlantic coast.323 However, investment in the program faltered, which combined with a series of errors led to the failure of two launches in flight, and a third rocket exploding in 2003 and killing 21 people.324

Space funding is likelier to remain steady, if the economic and socioeconomic impacts of the space program are evident to the wider population. In major spacefaring countries, such as the United States, space is directly tied to local economic value and jobs in otherwise rural communities. Generating awareness of the benefits of space can stabilize public spending. There are other considerations to take into account, such as the environmental impact of industry expansion, or the effects on vulnerable communities. Prioritizing sustainability and positive socioeconomic impacts is key to public support for space programs.

Improving "space literacy" among political leaders and decision makers could ensure an understanding of the importance of space use and exploration. A recent Australian policy options paper identified the need to implement bespoke national training for government employees to enhance space literacy and understand the intersection with

321 International Space University (2017). 322 Ibid. 323 Melo & Vasconcellos (2020). 324 Space Daily (2003).

their department.325 Input from the academic sector is key to delivering a range of spacerelated courses across government departments. In South Africa, at the time of the space program’s design, the space agency consulted government departments to identify their priorities for a space program, as these departments were to use the satellite data to inform decisionmaking.326

To ensure steady space funding, there is generally a need to strengthen institutions and ensure that these are not impeded by excessive bureaucracy and red tape. Administrative simplification can be achieved by process reengineering, digitalization, as well as adopting a “whole-of-government” approach.327 It is important for all government departments to address issues and understand how their work links to the space program. Steady funding requires long term planning to ensure a degree of certainty and stability in space programs. Longer term funding commitments of at least 5-10 years could prevent disruption to programs. In Saudi Arabia, long-term funding commitments include investing $2.1 billion in space by 2030. These space objectives are tied to wider socioeconomic development goals as part of Vision 2030, and include concrete space objectives, such as training young people in STEM subjects, and developing low-cost satellite launch and manufacturing.328

Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound (SMART) objectives that are tied to long-term funding commitments could produce tangible outcomes, which makes it harder to justify cutting these budgets.329 SMART space objectives could include nontechnological goals, such as “training 20 new space engineers by 2030”. It is recommended that governments express their space objectives in publicly available strategy/policy documents. Transparency in space funding could generate support, though it is important that the public understands the benefits and uses of space.

325 Steer, Cassandra (2021) Australia as a Space Power: Combining Civil, Defence and Diplomatic Efforts. Policy Options Paper No. 19, May 2021. Australian National University. https://nsc.crawford.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publication/nsc_crawford_anu_edu_au/202105/nsc_policy_options_paper_space_power_web.pdf 326 Feldscher (2019). 327 OECD (2006) Cutting red Tape: National Strategies for Administrative Simplification. https://www.oecd.org/gov/regulatorypolicy/38103089.pdf 328 Pons, Juan (2020). 329 SANSA (2022b) Projects & Partnerships. Accessible https://www.sansa.org.za/projects-partnerships/