Space Race and Maritime Power: A Tale of Two Domains

The first page outlines two major spheres of geopolitical competition: space exploration and maritime dominance. The space race began in the 1950s as a Cold War competition, evolving into a multi-player field including private enterprises. Maritime power projection continues to shape global politics through naval presence and economic control.

Highlight: The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik in 1957 marked the beginning of the space age, followed by Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight in 1961.

Example: France's 1965 Astérix satellite launch and China's 2003 taikonaut mission demonstrate the expansion of space capabilities beyond the original superpowers.

Definition: Sea Power refers to a nation's capacity to control maritime domains through naval strength, commerce, and industrial capability.

Vocabulary: ZEE (Zone Économique Exclusive) - Exclusive Economic Zone where nations have special rights for marine resource exploitation.

Quote: "IMPORTANCE STRATÉGIQUE HISTORIQUE +" emphasizes the continuing strategic significance of both space and maritime domains.

The text details how maritime power has evolved, with the United States maintaining a fleet of 280 vessels and six nations possessing nuclear submarines (SNLE - Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins). The proliferation of submarine capabilities from 18 countries in 1950 to 42 today illustrates the growing complexity of naval power dynamics.