Quad Countries Strengthen Space Cooperation

Establishment of the Space Cooperation Working Group

The Quad countries—Australia, Japan, India, and the United States—are leaders in both public and private space sectors. In September 2021, at the first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit, they established the Space Cooperation Working Group to enhance coordination and information sharing. This group focuses on sharing Earth observation satellite data, which is crucial for monitoring climate change, improving disaster response, and ensuring the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources. The Quad has mapped each member’s capabilities and launched an Earth Observation data website to facilitate these efforts.

History of Collaboration and Exercises

The Quad nations have a long history of collaboration in the space domain. Since 2011, Australia, Japan, and the United States have cooperated closely on space defense and security through the Japan-U.S.-Australia Space Security Dialogue. They regularly participate in the Schriever Wargame and the Global Sentinel tabletop exercise, with Australia and Japan actively engaging alongside participants from 25 partner nations during Global Sentinel 2024, where India attended as an observer.

Space Working Group Initiatives

The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 underscored the importance of space capabilities in international conflicts, particularly through the use of satellite imagery. This significance was reflected in the 2022 Quad Leaders’ Summit, leading to the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA). This initiative uses innovative technologies like commercial satellite radio frequency data collection to improve disaster response and combat illegal maritime activities. The IPMDA reached its pilot phase in 2023, providing near-real-time maritime domain data to agencies in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with plans to expand to the Indian Ocean region.

Expansion of Space Cooperation

In 2023, Quad Leaders announced plans to expand the Space Cooperation Working Group, particularly in commercial space cooperation. The global space economy was valued at approximately $546 billion in 2022, with commercial revenue accounting for 78%. Recognizing the commercial space sector’s importance, the Quad has committed to enhancing cooperation through a commercial space business forum. This initiative aims to advance space programs, support high-paying jobs, strengthen space supply chains, and lead the Indo-Pacific region in setting responsible standards.

Enhancing Space Safety and Exploration

The Quad also focuses on increasing safety and awareness in space by sharing satellite operator data and developing standards to prevent collisions. The member countries are pioneers in space exploration: the United States was the first to land a man on the moon, while India and Japan were the fourth and fifth nations to land modules on the moon’s surface. The Artemis Accords, established by NASA in 2020, aim to return humans to the Moon by 2025 and expand exploration to Mars. Australia and Japan were among the original six signatories, and India joined as the 27th signatory in 2023. The Accords promote system interoperability, emergency assistance, space debris management, scientific data sharing, historical site preservation, and conflict avoidance.