Introduction

The Artemis II mission, which took astronauts from the United States and Canada around the Moon for the first time in over fifty years, reflects a shift from competition to collaboration in outer space exploration.¹ Unlike the space race in previous eras, today’s space missions are increasingly framed around partnerships, shared knowledge, and collective goals.² This raises some important policy questions, such as: Can collaboration between diverse countries on space exploration contribute meaningfully to global peace? Who benefits from these collaborations? And where does Africa fit into this emerging order of outer space exploration? Addressing these questions helps us see Artemis II not just as a scientific milestone but as part of a broader global conversation about cooperation, inclusion, and global governance.

From Competition to Cooperation

Space exploration in its early days, the 1950s, was defined by rivalry, particularly between the United States and the Soviet Union. Today, initiatives like the Artemis program underpin a move toward cooperation in space exploration. Participating countries commit to principles such as peaceful use, transparency, and data sharing.³ However, there are limitations in collaborative space exploration programs, including the Artemis program.  The accords are non-binding, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) remains the central actor shaping the program. This raises concerns about whether Artemis II represents a true global partnership or a coordinated effort led by a dominant power. However, NASA’s collaboration with agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) marked a high level of joint scientific and technological work.⁴ For African countries, this moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While most African countries were not directly involved in Artemis II, they do have their own space programs. For example, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) of Nigeria and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) are developing space research and exploration capabilities that could enable them to participate in joint global programs in the future.⁵

Space Diplomacy’s Peacebuilding Potential

Space diplomacy, the partnering with other states to build relationships linked to collaborative projects in outer space, has gained renewed importance in the Artemis era. The Artemis Accords promote principles such as transparency, interoperability, and the peaceful exploration of outer space.⁶ These ideas align with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which frames space as a shared domain for all humanity.⁷ At the same time, space diplomacy is not neutral. It reflects global power dynamics, and not all countries are equally included.8 However, Artemis II still conveys peacebuilding potential for several reasons.

First, the Artemis Accords’ principles are designed to share scientific data, reduce conflict, and build trust among participating nations. Second, the programme has already brought together many countries under a common framework for collaboration in space exploration, reinforcing norms of international partnership and collective responsibility. Historically, similar cooperative space initiatives, such as joint missions and shared governance structures, have helped ease tensions and foster dialogue between states with competing interests. The International Space Station (ISS), for example, brought together countries with competing political interests under a shared scientific mission.⁹ However, this peacebuilding potential is not universal. Major space powers such as China and Russia are not part of the Artemis program, nor the framework that inspired it, and the accords themselves are non-binding, raising concerns about inclusivity, enforcement, and long-term cooperation.

Seeing Earth Differently: From Space to Society

One of the most powerful ideas linked to human spaceflight is the “overview effect,” the sense of unity astronauts feel when they see Earth from space.¹⁰ Astronauts have described Earth as fragile and borderless, prompting reflections on shared responsibility and global interconnectedness. For example, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell noted that from space, “You develop an instant global consciousness…a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it.”11 Similarly, Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders famously reflected that, “We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”12 This idea resonates strongly with African philosophical traditions such as Ubuntu, which emphasizes our shared humanity and interdependence. In this sense, Africa has taken steps aligning with the ethical and scientific ramifications of outer space exploration. The challenge is how to scale up and raise public awareness about the importance of the opportunities that space represents for African development.

Emerging scholarship shows that outer space is no longer an unattainable dream for the continent, but a critical part of the quest for attaining Africa’s development priorities, such as food security, climate resilience, technological innovation, education, and health.13 Studies on African space policy further demonstrate that countries like Nigeria and South Africa are already leveraging space technologies to advance both development and security objectives, highlighting the practical relevance of space for everyday governance and peacebuilding.14 However, despite these growing applications, public awareness and policy engagement remain limited, which constrains broader participation and investment. Some scholars argue that expanding awareness and capacity is essential for enabling African states and institutions to fully integrate into the global space economy and harness its benefits for sustainable development and regional stability. Images, stories, information, and data from missions like Artemis II can play an important role in shaping how people across the world, particularly in the global South, think about global cooperation and peace.

Bridging the Gap: Inclusion and Participation

There is a clear tension in the current space landscape. On one hand, Artemis II promotes cooperation. On the other hand, it reflects existing global inequalities in access to space technology and resources. This tension can also be seen as highlighting the work that still needs to be done to harness outer space to the common good of the world. For Artemis II to contribute meaningfully to global peace and development, it must become more inclusive over time. For Africa, this means investing in education, science, research infrastructure, and regional collaboration to build the capacity required to access and use space-based technologies for the common good. These technologies already support climate adaptation, food security, disaster response, and conflict monitoring across the continent, making them critical tools for development and peacebuilding. It also means strengthening institutions such as the media, universities, think tanks, and libraries, that can support access to knowledge and innovation.15 These are practical steps toward ensuring that space exploration benefits a wider range of actors. African governments collectively budgeted approximately $465 million for space programs in 2024, reflecting a growing, though still modest, commitment compared to global space powers.16 Importantly, this funding is not directed toward human space exploration but is largely focused on practical, development-oriented applications, particularly satellite technologies such as Earth observation and communications systems, alongside investments in research infrastructure, institutional capacity, and workforce training. These investments support critical sectors, including climate monitoring, agriculture, disaster management, and national security, areas closely linked to peacebuilding and stability. At the same time, the relatively low level of investment highlights that without sustained funding and strategic coordination, African countries risk remaining dependent on external actors and excluded from shaping the future of the global space economy.

Lessons for Peacebuilding

Artemis II offers several lessons for global peace, with clear implications for Africa. First, it demonstrates how shared goals can foster cooperation. The Artemis Accords, which underpin the programme, have brought together over 60 countries under a common framework for space collaboration as of 2026, making it one of the broadest international coalitions in space exploration.17 Second, the Artemis framework institutionalizes cooperation by establishing rules for coordination, information sharing, and mutual assistance in space operations, mechanisms that help prevent misunderstandings and conflict in a domain where competition could otherwise escalate. These principles build on earlier international agreements such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, reinforcing long-standing norms that space should be used for peaceful purposes. Third, the Artemis framework also shows how perspective matters. How we see the world shapes how we act within it,18 a view that resonates with African philosophies such as Ubuntu. For African policymakers, the key lesson is strategic engagement, grounded in existing continental frameworks. The AU’s space policy and the establishment of the African Space Agency (AfSA) provide a coordinated approach to leveraging space for development and peacebuilding.19 The agency is designed to promote collaboration among African states and prioritize areas such as Earth observation, satellite communication, and navigation technologies that support climate monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, and security. By emphasizing data sharing, regional coordination, and collective action, the AU framework aligns space activities with broader goals of integration and sustainable development under Agenda 2063. In this context, strategic engagement means not only participating in global initiatives like Artemis but also strengthening continental institutions and investing in shared infrastructure to ensure that space contributes to regional stability and inclusive growth.

Conclusion

Artemis II is more than a mission to the Moon; it offers a lens through which to understand how cooperation can be structured in ways that support the link between space exploration and peacebuilding. While it demonstrates the value of shared goals, transparency, and institutional frameworks, it also reveals the risks of exclusion and unequal participation. For Africa, an important lesson is that outer space must be approached as a strategic tool for peacebuilding, among other aspects of human advancement. Through emerging institutions such as the AfSA, NASRDA, and SANSA, and growing investment in satellite technologies, African countries are already leveraging space-based data for climate monitoring, disaster response, and conflict prevention, key pillars of sustainable peace. However, without coordinated policies, sustained investment, and inclusive engagement in global space governance, these gains may remain limited. Ultimately, the promise of the new space age for Africa lies in the ability of Africans to strengthen cooperation, enhance resilience, and support long-term peacebuilding across the continent.

Policy Recommendations: Positioning Africa in the New Space Age

To translate the continent’s potential to transform its position in the new space age, African policymakers should prioritize the following actions:

  • Strengthen continental coordination by fully supporting the African Space Agency as a platform for collaboration, policy alignment, and collective engagement in global space governance.
  • Prioritize funding and investing in development-oriented space technologies, particularly Earth observation and satellite communications, given their direct relevance to climate monitoring, agriculture, and security.
  • Expand human capacity by investing in education, research, and training in social, natural, and applied science, space science, and data analytics to ensure effective use of space-derived information.
  • Support open data and regional data-sharing mechanisms to improve access to satellite information for early warning, environmental monitoring, and decision-making, while ensuring that strategic partnerships support technology transfer, joint research, and long-term capacity building.

Endnotes

  1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Artemis II Mission Overview, 2023. https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii
  2. NASA, What Is Artemis?, 2022. https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram
  3. European Space Agency (ESA). (2023). Gateway MoU and Artemis Accords FAQs. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Gateway_MoU_and_Artemis_Accords_FAQs: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2020). The Artemis Accords: Principles for cooperation in the civil exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids. https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords: U.S. Department of State. (2023). Artemis Accords. https://2021-2025.state.gov/artemis-accords/
  4. European Space Agency (ESA), Orion European Service Module, 2023; Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Canada and the Artemis Program, 2023.
  5. National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Programs and Satellite Applications, 2023, https://nasrda.gov.ng; South African National Space Agency (SANSA), Earth Observation and Space Science Programmes, 2023, https://www.sansa.org.za
  6. NASA, The Artemis Accords, 2020.
  7. United Nations, Outer Space Treaty, 1967.
  8. Britannica, Artemis Accords, 2026.
  9. NASA, International Space Station Overview, 2022.
  10. White, Frank. The Overview Effect, 1987.
  11. Frank White, The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987), 38.
  12. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Apollo 8 Mission Overview, 2008, https://www.nasa.gov
  13. Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa), The New Space Age: Africa and the Common Good, 2024, https://futures.issafrica.org
  14. Space in Africa, African Governments’ Budget for Space Programmes, 2024, https://spaceinafrica.com
  15. United Nations, Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015.
  16. Space in Africa, African Governments’ Budget for Space Programmes, 2024.
  17. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), The Artemis Accords: Principles for Cooperation in the Civil Exploration and Use of the Moon, Mars, Comets, and Asteroids, 2020, https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords; U.S. Department of State, Artemis Accords, 2026 update, https://www.state.gov/artemis-accords/
  18. White, Frank. The Overview Effect, 1987.
  19. African Space Agency, Mandate and Strategic Priorities, 2024, https://africanspaceagency.org