From Apollo to Artemis:

Petra Massaro & Yes Hiller

Assessing US State Capacity through the Lunar Programmes

Timeframe: 28/04/2026 – 30/04/2026

United States of America · International Agreements

Key Insights

• Q: Does the shift from the state-led Apollo program to the Artemis program represent a decline in U.S. state capacity or a strategic adaptation? A: While Apollo demonstrated state-led mobilization, Artemis exercises capacity through market-shaping, coordinating private innovation, and managing interdependencies. Conclusion: This shift reveals a reconfiguration of state capacity, proving that modern power is exercised through the setting of standards and incentives rather than direct production.

Definition

The Entrepreneurial State: A model where the state reconfigures its capacity to act as a market-shaper, using institutional capital to stimulate private innovation and create strategic leverage.

Market-shaping describes a reconfiguration of state capacity where public spending is used to stimulate private competition and purchase services rather than building capacity directly.

Documents: 📂 Source Document