SWF Moderates Panel on Developing "Rules" For Sustainable Space Logistics

Monday, February 22, 2021

On February 16-18, 2021, SWF partnered with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland to hold the first Sustainable Space Logistics Digital Symposium. The goal of the event was to explore the vision of sustainable space logistics (SSL) to enhance space sustainability, examine the changes in the space industry and how they compare to transformations in other industries, the importance of logistics concepts such as active debris removal, and how to overcome legal and policy challenges while engaging the next generation of stakeholders.

As part of the symposium, SWF Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden moderated a panel discussion on developing "rules" for space logistics, including commercial satellite servicing. Dr. Weeden was joined by Professor Tanja Masson-Zwan from the International Institute of Air and Space Law from the University of Leiden, Professor David Barnhart from the Department of Astronautical Engineering at University of Southern California, and Dr. Natália Archinard from the Science and Space Section at Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The panel discussed the current governance framework for space activities at both the international and national level, the role of industry best practices and standards in developing new norms and regulations, and lessons the space world can learn from other domains as its updates space governance to handle emerging and future space activities such as satellite servicing and space logistics.

A video recording of the panel can be found below. 

More details about the event, including the full agenda and recordings of all the sessions can be found at the EPFL website.