# Global Power Dynamics in the Contemporary Space System
## 2 Method--Systems Approach  
The utilization of systems sciences for the analysis of international relations constitutes a long-standing tradition, with its origins dating back to [PERSON]'s pioneering application of the method in the late 1950s [29]. Since that time, numerous experts have employed the systems approach to provide a more holistic perspective on international phenomena. Systems theories of international relations emphasize the structure of the international system to explain the behavior and interactions of the system's units. The fundamental units of this system are states, which collectively constitute a system of states.  
The systems approach has been demonstrated to serve as a valuable methodological instrument in comprehending the intricacies of the international landscape. It has been employed by scholars from diverse schools of thought within the field of international relations (IR) to analyze and explain international affairs. The fundamental premise of this theoretical framework is that the international system can be conceptualized as a single system whose structure and dynamics can be fully grasped through a systemic perspective [30] (p. 4). Consequently, a considerable number of scholars have employed a variety of models of the international system to analyze international relations [31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37].  
The application of systems science to understand the distribution of, balance of, and changes in power among states in the international system has also been a point of interest among scholars in international relations. During the 1960s and 1970s, macro-level theories dominated the field, giving rise to numerous system models that sought to explain the redistribution of states' capabilities and power within the international system.  
Examples of systems analysis in international relations include the International System Model ([PERSON]) [29], the Balance of Power Model ([PERSON]) [31], World System Theory ([PERSON]) [32], and System Effects ([PERSON]) [34]. [PERSON] employed systems analysis to differentiate among the various types of international system states. He also used this approach to study the balance of power and identify the hierarchical structure of international systems [29]. The contributions of [PERSON] had a profound impact on the field of international relations (IR) because he challenged the conventional reductionist approaches to international relations, proposing a system-level framework of analysis. Moreover, [PERSON] shifted the focus from the behavior of states to the dynamics of power between them, thereby contributing to the development of a more comprehensive understanding of international relations [31]. However, works applying these theoretical frameworks to the analysis of space activities have been limited in number and recognition.  
The utilization of a systems approach in the context of space-related activities is predicated on the premise that the myriad activities associated with outer space can be comprehended and examined as a system within the overarching framework of the international system. In this regard, the space system, when regarded as a subsystem of the broader international system, can be studied and analyzed as a system in its own right. This approach facilitates the identification and analysis of the external context, components, interactions, processes, emergent realities, and structure that constitute the space system.