Asia rises as major player in global space competition

(MENAFN) Asia has emerged as a central hub in global space competition during the early 21st century, with countries across the region pursuing ambitions that go far beyond satellite launches to include human spaceflight, lunar exploration, and independent orbital infrastructure. Once dominated by the United States and Russia, the region is now shaping its technological, security, and geopolitical influence through space programs.

According to analysts, each country follows a unique trajectory, driven by distinct economic capabilities, strategic goals, and technological maturity. “It is difficult to identify common trajectories among these countries, as each of them has been driven by different needs over the years,” Francesco Rosazza Boneitin, a researcher at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, said.

China has rapidly expanded its space ambitions, aiming to reduce reliance on Western systems and challenge US technological dominance. Annual spending has risen from a few hundred million dollars at the start of the century to roughly $19 billion today, surpassing both Japan and European annual investments.

Boneitin said Beijing views space as a tool for international prestige and economic growth, attracting global partners in the process. China has developed autonomous infrastructure, such as the BeiDou navigation system, completed globally in 2020 to reduce dependence on the US GPS and provide services to partner countries. The Tiangong space station, launched in 2022, became the second fully operational human space station, with China inviting foreign astronauts for missions, starting with Pakistan. China is also expanding satellite internet capabilities and advancing lunar exploration through the International Lunar Research Station, launched with Russia in 2021. Between 2003 and 2025, China conducted 16 crewed missions, including Shenzhou-21 in October 2025.

India has steadily increased funding for its Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), linking its space efforts closely with national identity. Key milestones include Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013, and Chandrayaan-3’s soft landing near the Moon’s south pole in 2023. India’s SpaDeX program enabled in-space docking in 2025, while the country also launched the BlueBird Block-2 communications satellite, the heaviest commercial satellite in low Earth orbit. India plans its Bharatiya Antariksha space station, with the first module expected by 2028.

Japan has a longstanding space sector, consolidated under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2003. It rebuilt launch reliability with the H-IIA and H-IIB rockets, developed the Epsilon launcher, and achieved scientific successes such as the Hayabusa asteroid mission and Akatsuki Venus probe recovery. Security concerns, including North Korean missile tests, led to law amendments allowing military reconnaissance satellites. Japan is also participating in NASA’s Artemis program. However, repeated H3 rocket delays and a failed launch in December 2025 have hampered its Quasi-Zenith Satellite System.

South Korea’s space program has grown rapidly since 2000, with budgets rising to over $726 million in 2025. The Nuri rocket’s successful 2022 launch positioned South Korea among countries with indigenous orbital launch capabilities. Seoul has combined civilian and security goals, developing the Danuri lunar orbiter, 12 cube satellites, and national navigation systems.

Future plans include a lunar lander and rover, as well as the Korean Positioning System by 2035. Challenges remain, including the December 2025 Hanbit-Nano rocket failure.

North Korea’s space efforts remain largely tied to its ballistic missile program. Since 1998, it has attempted multiple satellite launches with limited success. In 2023, Pyongyang successfully launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1. Despite pledges for additional satellites in 2024, no further launches were reported.

Asia’s space ambitions highlight a rapidly evolving landscape, with China currently leading in investment, infrastructure, and international collaboration, while countries like India, Japan, and South Korea continue to advance scientific, civilian, and strategic capabilities. North Korea remains an outlier, leveraging space technology primarily for military purposes.

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