Abstract: von Meijenfeldt https://espi.or.at/about-us/governing-bodiesThe use of outer space is of growing strategic and technological relevance.The development of robotic exploration to distant planets and bodies across the solar system, as well as pioneering human space exploration in earth orbit and of the moon, paved the way for ambitious long-term space exploration.Today, space exploration goes far beyond a merely technological endeavour, as its further development will have a tremendous social, cultural and economic impact.Space activities are entering an era in which contributions of the humanitieshistory, philosophy, anthropology -, the arts, and the social sciencespolitical science, economics, lawwill become crucial for the future of space exploration.Space policy thus will gain in visibility and relevance.