Conversations #25 - Bleddyn Bowen

Author of 'Original Sin: Power, Technology, and War in Outer Space'

Feb 23, 2023

Author and Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Leicester, Bleddyn Bowen —

Hello Eclectic Spacewalkers,

This month, I had the pleasure of talking with Bleddyn Bowen about all things outer space. Bleddyn Bowen is the author of two books: “War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics” and “Original Sin: Power, Technology, and War in Outer Space.”

He is an associate professor of International Relations at the University of Leicester, specialising in space policy and military uses of outer space. He also consults on space policy for institutions including the UK Parliament, the European Space Agency, and the Pentagon

We had an incredible discussion about the politics of outer space, how power and technology are entrenched in space policy, and tried to bring a critical perspective to the Overview Effect.

Our conversation was wide-ranging about design, space architecture, speculative futures, and bringing a critical perspective to the Overview Effect.

We thank Fred for their time, research, and eclectic mind. Enjoy the conversation, and until next time - Ad Astra!

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Timestamps:

01:42 What were Bleddyn's earliest interests and curiosities?
04:13 What first drew Bleddyn's interest to international relations?
05:55 How does Bleddyn approach teaching?
09:38 What specific publications or topics create the most discussion in Bleddyn's classes?
11:57 What has society as a whole viewed space as?
14:06 What is Astropolitics?
17:08 What is space power?
20:05 What is space policy?
32:25 Bleddyn's books "War in Space, Strategies, Space Power, Geopolitics" and "Original Sin"
37:02 First argument of "Original Sin" - Space technologies have not been developed for the benefit of all mankind.
48:35 Second argument of "Original Sin" - Space is open to all states, not just the big powers.
57:04 Third argument of "Original Sin" - As space is so useful, war follows.
01:10:51 Summary of "Original Sin"
01:14:30 How does Bleddyn use his research, academia, writing, etc. for his work in consulting on space policy?
01:16:49 What's next for Bleddyn?
01:18:21 How can we be critical of "The Overview Effect"?

Original Sin: Power, Technology, and War in Outer Space

Three parts:
- the militarised genesis of the Global Space Age;
- how essential military-economic satellite technologies matured from 1970-today;
- and what's realistic and what's not in space warfare
3 main arguments:
- 1. Space technologies have not been developed for the benefit of all humankind. Geopolitics already extends to Earth orbit thanks to space technology's original sin, where competitive military, economic, and political interests drive space tech development.
- 2. We live in a Global Space Age. USSR and USA led in the early Cold War, but many others were fairly strategically autonomous space powers by the end of the Cold War, and many more states have done the same by today. Space is open to all states, not just the big powers.
- 3. As space is so useful, war follows. The 'ultimate high ground' is not a useful metaphor for thinking about the impact of spacepower on military strategy. Instead, it's more of a littoral or coastal zone. Building on my first book, this argument is fleshed out in Original Sin.

“An eye-opening account of a world order shaped by spacepower and the threat of space warfare.
Space technology was developed to enhance the killing power of the state. The Moon landings and the launch of the Space Shuttle were mere sideshows, drawing public attention away from the real goal: military and economic control of space as a source of power on Earth.
Today, as Bleddyn E. Bowen vividly recounts, thousands of satellites work silently in the background to provide essential military, intelligence and economic capabilities. No major power can do without them. Beyond Washington, Moscow and Beijing, truly global technologies have evolved, from the ground floor of the nuclear missile revolution to today’s orbital battlefield, shaping the wars to come. World powers including India, Japan and Europe are fully realising the strategic benefits of commanding Earth’s ‘cosmic coastline’, as a stage for war, development and prestige.
Yet, as new contenders spend more and more on outer space, there is scope for cautious optimism about the future of the Space Age—if we can recognise, rather than hide, its original sin”