Spring Meetings of the International Astronautical Federation Discuss Topics Related to Space Sustainability

Monday, March 27, 2017

From March 21-23, 2017, SWF Executive Director Michael Simpson, Project Manager Ian Christensen, and Space Law Advisor Christopher Johnson represented SWF on several committees and working groups during the spring meetings of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in Paris, France. Dr. Simpson, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Christensen all participated in the work of  the IAF committee on Space Security. Dr. Simpson joined in the meeting of GEOSS Subcommittee, while Mr. Christensen participated in the meetings of the Entrepreneurship and Investment; and Commercial Spaceflight Safety Committees. Dr. Simpson also worked as a member of two ongoing International Academy of Astronautics study groups, one analyzing space resources and the the other the legal and policy aspects of space debris mitigation. SWF staff participated in the review and selection of papers to be presented at the 2017 International Astronautical Congress to be held in Adelaide, Australia in September 2017. While at the IAF meetings, SWF staff actively engaged in the events of Diversity Day, which served to advance the Federation's "3G" commitment to increase the diversity of gender, generation, and geography in the astronautical community. More information on the IAF, and its activities, can be found here. Dr. Simpson also participated at ESA Headquarters in the meeting of the Moon Village Reflection Group seeking to elaborate the vision of an international community living and working on the Moon.