Analysis | Rockets Are Easy, People Are Hard: The True Challenge of Building a Space Nation

Omkar Nikam
Oct 24
6 min read

by Omkar NIKAM

When we talk about a nation’s space ambitions, the conversation often gravitates toward rockets, satellites, and launchpads. The headlines are dominated by satellite deployments, Mars missions, or orbital rendezvous. Yet, in my experience observing global space programs, these hardware achievements are only half the story. The other half, the one that often determines whether a country will sustain a space program over decades, is built on soft power and human capital.

Soft power and human capital are the invisible scaffolding of a space program. They are the investments in education, public inspiration, workforce development, and international collaboration that shape the next generation of scientists, engineers, diplomats, and policymakers. A country with advanced rockets but no trained engineers or public enthusiasm is like a high-performance engine with no fuel. Conversely, a nation that nurtures human potential and global goodwill can achieve disproportionate influence and long-term sustainability, even with relatively modest hardware.

Let’s explore how this “other half” of building a space nation is being executed across different countries, with an eye toward lessons, pitfalls, and strategic insights.

Saudi Arabia: Knowledge as Soft Power

Saudi Arabia’s recent launch of the Knowledge Space portal illustrates a deliberate and highly strategic investment in soft power. Unlike hardware programs that require billions in funding and long development cycles, this initiative focuses on building a future workforce through education, inspiration, and accessibility.

The Knowledge Space portal is more than just an educational website. It is an effort to:

Inspire youth: Young students can visualize themselves as part of a space-faring nation.
Develop skills: Courses, workshops, and resources focus on STEM disciplines relevant to satellite technology, AI, and aerospace engineering.
Project national ambition: Internationally, it signals Saudi Arabia’s seriousness about science, technology, and regional leadership in space.

Saudi Arabia’s approach underscores an important truth: you cannot buy a space workforce; you cultivate it. An obvious portal can reach millions, subtly shaping public perception and embedding a “space culture” into the national psyche. For policymakers and program managers, it demonstrates that soft power is not an abstract concept; it is measurable in future workforce readiness and international prestige.

Kazakhstan: Branding Through Inspiration

Kazakhstan provides another compelling example, but with a twist. The SANA-1 all-female space mission represents a mix of national branding, public inspiration, and international diplomacy. By sending a woman-dominated crew into space or highlighting the preparation for such a mission, the country is signaling multiple messages:

Progressive values: Gender inclusion in a high-tech field conveys a modern, forward-looking national identity.
Serious commitment to human spaceflight: It indicates that Kazakhstan is not merely a launch site provider (a role it has played historically with Baikonur Cosmodrome) but a player in the human dimension of space missions.
National branding and diplomacy: Internationally, it attracts attention and respect, reinforcing Kazakhstan as a key actor in Central Asian and global space affairs.

This type of initiative may not produce immediate satellites or rockets, but it pays dividends in human capital, public support, and international partnerships, resources just as critical to sustaining a space program.

Thailand: Diplomacy and Regional Hub Strategy

Thailand offers a case study in positioning a country as a regional space hub. Hosting the Thailand Space Expo, the government has deliberately created a platform for diplomacy, commercial engagement, and ecosystem-building across Southeast Asia.

This strategy is subtle but powerful:

Regional influence: By hosting key conferences and expos, Thailand positions itself as the natural commercial and diplomatic center for neighboring countries exploring space technology.
Industry development: Companies gain visibility, partnerships, and market access, strengthening the domestic space economy.
Long-term ecosystem creation: With repeated events, Thailand nurtures an environment where human talent, private enterprise, and government policy converge.

Thailand’s approach demonstrates that soft power investments are not just about inspiring domestic youth; they can also leverage regional diplomacy to create a central position in an emerging economic ecosystem.

South Africa: Managing the Human and Bureaucratic Infrastructure

South Africa’s experiences with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and Denel highlight the challenges of the human and bureaucratic side of space development. Unlike Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, or Thailand, South Africa’s difficulties underscore the consequences when the “invisible half” of human capital and institutional capacity is neglected.

Even with capable engineers and a modest space budget, bureaucratic bottlenecks, misaligned incentives, or underdeveloped management practices can significantly delay or derail programs. In effect, the lesson is clear: the human infrastructure workforce training, institutional processes, and leadership continuity are as critical as the physical infrastructure.

South Africa’s case is a cautionary tale: even the best hardware cannot thrive without robust human capital and operational management. Programs must prioritize training, leadership development, and bureaucratic efficiency to realize their ambitions.

Lessons Learned: The Critical Interplay of Soft Power and Human Capital

Analyzing these countries reveals some common themes that are essential for any nation aspiring to become a “space nation”:

Inspiration is a strategic asset: Public engagement, national branding, and inclusive programs create a culture of space ambition.
Education underpins sustainability: Long-term workforce development is as vital as funding for rockets.
Diplomacy multiplies impact: Regional leadership and international visibility attract partnerships, investment, and political goodwill.
Infrastructure is more than physical: Human capital, management systems, and bureaucratic efficiency determine whether hardware can be leveraged effectively.

These dimensions are interconnected. For example, a highly inspired youth population will only contribute if the education system delivers relevant skills, and that talent will only thrive if the bureaucratic and institutional environment enables them to operate efficiently.

Personal Reflections: Building a Space Nation Beyond Rockets

From my vantage point, the most successful space nations are those that treat soft power and human capital as strategic investments equal to, or sometimes exceeding, the importance of hardware. Consider a hypothetical analogy: a rocket is a high-tech sports car, but the driver, pit crew, and racetrack conditions determine whether it actually wins the race. Similarly, the human and institutional factors determine whether satellites stay in orbit or ambitions stall on the drawing board.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Thailand are demonstrating that cultivating a space culture, through inspiration, diplomacy, and education, is a form of strategic leverage. South Africa reminds us that neglecting these elements can nullify even the most technically capable programs.

Looking forward, I believe that nations investing deliberately in soft power and human capital will achieve disproportionate influence in the 21st-century space economy. Satellites, rockets, and probes are transient; the human capability to innovate, collaborate, and inspire is enduring. The real measure of a space nation, in my view, is not how many satellites it launches, but how effectively it nurtures its people and positions itself globally.

Conclusion: The Invisible Half Is the Real Long Game

Building a space nation is not solely about launching rockets or developing cutting-edge hardware. The “other half”, soft power and human capital, is what sustains programs, multiplies impact, and creates a long-term competitive advantage. Saudi Arabia’s Knowledge Space portal, Kazakhstan’s SANA-1 mission, Thailand’s Space Expo, and South Africa’s bureaucratic challenges each highlight different facets of this invisible half.

For policymakers, the takeaway is clear: invest early and deliberately in education, inspiration, workforce development, and regional diplomacy. These investments may not make headlines tomorrow, but they will determine whether a country’s space program thrives or languishes decade after decade.

Soft power is not optional; it is strategic. Human capital is not secondary; it is foundational. And as the global space economy continues to expand, the countries that master this invisible half will ultimately define the “space nations” of the future.

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About Author

Omkar NIKAM, Founder & CEO, Access Hub

Omkar is a consultant, analyst, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience advising governments, space firms, defense agencies, aerospace, maritime, and media technology companies worldwide. At Access Hub, he shapes the vision, strategy, and global partnerships, positioning the platform at the crossroads of innovation and business growth.