The Future of Geography: How the Competition in Space Will Change Our World

by Tim Marshall

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography and leading geopolitics expert comes an “insightful, hopeful, and endlessly fascinating” (Daily Express) book on today’s space race—including the increasingly tense power struggle between the US, China, and Russia and what it means for all of us here on Earth.

Spy satellites orbiting the moon. Space metals worth more than most countries’ GDP. People on Mars within the next ten years. This isn’t science fiction—it’s reality.

Humans are venturing up and out, and we’re taking our competitive spirit with us. Soon, what happens in space will shape human history as much the mountains, rivers, and seas have impacted civilizations around the world. It’s no coincidence that Russia, China, and the USA are leading the way. The next fifty years will change the face of global politics and the world order as we know it.

In this must-read work, bestselling author Tim Marshall navigates the new astropolitical reality to show how we got here and where we’re heading. Extensively researched, “thought-provoking” (Popular Science), and drawing on the latest information from intelligence, government, and civilian institutions, this book provides a detailed, clear account of the new space race, the power rivalries, and how technology, economics, and war have a ripple effect on everyone across the globe. Written with all the insight and wit that have made Marshall one of the world’s most popular and trusted writer on geopolitics, The Future of Geography is an essential read about global power, politics, and the future of humanity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668031643
Publisher:	Scribner
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Series:	Politics of Place
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	71,970
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.70(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Tim Marshall is a leading authority on foreign affairs with more than thirty years of reporting experience. He was diplomatic editor at Sky News and before that worked for the BBC and LBC/IRN radio. He has reported from forty countries and covered conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. He is the author of Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World; The Age of Walls: How Barriers Between Nations Are Changing Our World; and A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols. He is founder and editor of the current affairs site TheWhatandtheWhy.com.

Editorial Reviews

09/18/2023

Geopolitical analyst Marshall (The Power of Geography) turns his focus to the final frontier in this concise look at space and the emerging “era of astropolitics.” Sketching the history of human dealings with space from prehistoric lunar calendars to the launch of Sputnik, Marshall lays the groundwork for his view that “space is going to be a geopolitical narrative of the twenty-first century.” Marshall demonstrates how politically fraught and high stakes space has the potential to be, highlighting how telecommunications satellites utilize the “attractive piece of real estate” that is Low Earth Orbit and the untapped potential of mineral resources on the moon. He cites as precursors of the coming political turmoil the 2023 incident of a Chinese surveillance balloon passing over the U.S. and Elon Musk deploying his Starlink satellite dishes in Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022. Marshall makes the case that laws governing space, such as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, “require drastic updating” to prevent future conflict. Marshall’s assessments intrigue, and he provides valuable insight into an overlooked aspect of space exploration, though forays into more speculative realms, such as what a solar system–wide war might look like, slow things down. Still, Marshall’s expedition into the political realities of space is a thought-provoking effort. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR ASTROPOLITICS

“In his typical style—wielding a wickedly clever pen—Marshall provides a thoroughly enjoyable, dizzyingly thought-provoking, and technologically plausible ride through the terrain of solar space. Along the way, he shows how irretrievably entwined with space humanity has become, pathways to a space future we could take and, fortunately for us, a few that we should. I’m envious. This is a book I wish I could have written. Fortunately, I got to read it.” —Everett Dolman, professor of comparative military studies and strategy at the US Air Force's Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), and author of Astropolitik: Classical Geopolitics in the Space Age

“In Astropolitics Tim Marshall again demonstrates his unique ability to write wonderfully engaging must-read books which reveal startling facts. Astropolitics takes us on a gripping and amazing journey, to guide us expertly and often amusingly into the exploration of space and its profound implications for those of us left behind on planet earth.” —Ian Goldin, professor of globalisation and development at the University of Oxford, and author of Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years

“A chilling, insightful exploration of the political and military implications of our presence in space.” —Brian Clegg, author of Final Frontier

“This stirring book shows why astropolitics matters for everyone on Earth—not just the scientists and the dreamers.” —Dr Bleddyn E. Bowen, author of Original Sin and War in Space

“Astropolitics is a word I never thought would enter my lexicon – but after reading this fascinating book, I’m hooked!” —Dr. Becky Smethurst, astrophysicist at the University of Oxford and author of A Brief History of Black Holes

From the Publisher

2023-08-17
The author of Prisoners of Geography examines how leaping into space is both technically feasible as well as economically necessary.

Marshall is a British journalist who has written a series of well-regarded books about geography and its impact on politics, history, and human affairs in general. Here, he looks in a different direction: up. The author begins with a review of the early days of rocketry and space research, although most of that ground has been already covered. The pace picks up when he turns to the Moon landings and the deployment of early-generation satellites. Military imperatives drove much of the early technology, but gradually the emphasis moved to commercial objectives. Marshall ably explains how satellites actually work and the strategic importance of certain points in space that allow for geostationary orbit. The next step, notes the author, should be a return to the Moon, which has critical resources, possibly including water and a potential energy source called helium-3, which could be used for nuclear fusion. The author sees a growing consensus about a new Moon project but accepts that it would be a massive undertaking. One possibility is establishing a space station as a staging post. A Moon settlement could then act as a steppingstone to Mars and beyond. Once again, it is becoming a race with military goals, mainly between the U.S. and China. Marshall examines China’s burgeoning space program, noting that Russia, now faltering, is hoping that a partnership with China will put it back in the game. Marshall worries that once established in space, humans will simply repeat their geopolitical mistakes and conflicts. The current treaties are obsolete, and negotiating a new legal framework will be tricky, but he suggests some useful ideas. This is an engaging, informative read, and Marshall displays flashes of wit and a thorough understanding of the issues.

A well-researched, insightful, infectiously enthusiastic book.

Kirkus Reviews

A superb survey of planetary politics.”

Sunday Times (London)

Thought provoking and worrying in equal measures.”

Popular Science magazine

This is an essential take on power, politics, and the future of humanity from the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics.”

Daily Telegraph (London)

Readable, intelligent, and forward-leaning. It provides a practical vision of our necessary future in space, and I recommend it.”

Times Literary Supplement (London)

Marshall’s latest nonfiction masterpiece sets out the possibilities and pitfalls that lie ahead.”

Daily Express (London)