Satellites, which are launching into space at an increasingly rapid clip, underpin much of daily life on Earth, from navigation to telecommunications.
Many of these space capabilities — such as remote sensing, or gathering information about objects from a distance — are essential to progress on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Examples include validating census data for a vaccination campaign or helping farmers make smarter decisions about where and how to plant their crops. Still, despite the value that satellites can bring to low- and middle-income countries, there is a common misconception that space programs are too costly, and there’s a limited understanding of their return on investment.
Even a modest national space program can have outsized benefits, argues Rose Croshier, the author of a new handbook on space development. She thinks every country should have some kind of space capability — or in other words, a strategy or program to use space resources and technology in pursuit of their interests. Governments should start by considering national priorities that have already generated interest and investment, then use space to pursue those goals, she said at a recent event hosted by the Center for Global Development, where she is a nonresident fellow.
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
