This content was published on
May 13, 2026 – 15:00
Where does Switzerland stand in the world? And where is it heading? I focus on current and possible future developments.
After completing my studies (history, law and European studies), I worked for a time at the Swiss embassy in Athens. I have journalistic experience at home and abroad, at the local and national levels, as a freelancer and as a staff journalist. Today, it’s with an international focus.
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Raumfahrtnation Schweiz?
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La Suisse, une nation spatiale?
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Dear reader,
For some people, space is the next “frontier” – a realm to be economically exploited, politically dominated and militarily used. This view primarily applies to major powers with the necessary industrial capacity, as well as to big-tech companies that share such ambitions.
But space is vast, and smaller states are also entering the arena. Did you know, for instance, that Luxembourg passed a legal framework for space mining a decade ago?
Switzerland is now debating its own space law. At its core, the proposal aims to regulate Swiss satellites and other commercial activities in space. Switzerland has long been active in space research and develops technologies used in European, American and even Chinese missions. Today, at least 16 countries can launch satellites into orbit, with private companies also involved. More and more states are also setting up space agencies and adopting space legislation.
This has consequences far above our heads:
Kai Reusser / SWI swissinfo.ch
It also raises questions about the enforcement of United Nations space treaties that have existed for decades. Will the UN prove more effective in space than it has been on Earth? What is clear is that tensions are rising, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Even the exact point at which space begins remains unresolved – an issue that matters when it comes to rocket use, for example, as space should be only militarised to a limited extent. At least in theory.
Switzerland wants to position itself as a bridge-builder in space, mirroring its self-defined role on Earth (read our article here). Acting as a mediator in conflicts beyond our planet would be a logical extension of Swiss diplomacy and good offices. The open question is whether such mediation will actually be needed up there.
What do you think? As always, you can write to me at: giannis.mavris@swissinfo.ch
Best regards,
Giannis Mavris
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