| Abstract: | The article presents an overview of the significant events and achievements of the first 25 years of spaceflight. The primary focus is on the progress and evolution of the space programmes of the USA and the USSR, although significant developments in other national and international space programmes are also discussed. Emerging issues likely to be increasingly important in the years ahead are explored—the militarization of space, international competition surrounding the commercialization of space activitites, access to space for LDCs, and the nature of the political and legal regimes for space. |
