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Secure World Foundation Newsletter
May 2021
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Insight - UN Resolution 75/36: How Changing the Question May Change the Results
by Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications Daniel Porras and Washington Office Director Victoria Samson
Discussions on space security in multilateral fora have been at a standstill for decades, as the major space actors disagree on both what the biggest threats to space security are and how best to approach them. This is happening despite space’s increasing importance to international security and the global economy, as well as a concomitant proliferation of counterspace capabilities. A recent effort to recast the multilateral conversation to one that is focused on norms and behaviors has the potential to break through the diplomatic stagnation; it remains to be seen how effective it will be.
Read more here
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Announcements
SWF Announces Space Sustainability Essay Contest
SWF is dedicated to encouraging the next generation of space professionals to address the challenges of space sustainability and is hosting an essay competition in conjunction with the 3rd Summit for Space Sustainability as a way of promoting ideas and participation from young professionals. SWF will select five top essays and winners will each receive conference travel/reimbursement up to $500 to be claimed within 1 year of award. Winners’ essays will be published on the Secure World Foundation’s website and recognized at the SWF Summit for Space Sustainability. For more information on this and other activities for young professionals, please click here.
SWF Thanks Nicole Nir for Years of Service to the Organization
SWF has recently bid a fond farewell to our colleague of the last several years, Nicole Nir. Ms. Nir is pursuing a master’s degree in Applied Diplomacy with a concentration in Critical Ethnic Studies at DePaul University. She has written about outer space as contested space, space exploration as an opportunity for healing, and ecological justice as social justice. While she is stepping back from the organization, she remains active in the space community via her studies and is currently serving as a co-lead in SGAC’s Equity and Human Rights Project Group. We look forward to working with her in the future and wish her the best in her endeavors.
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Publications
U.S.-India Strategic Partnership in Space: A Path Toward Cooperation
Washington Office Director Victoria Samson authored a chapter, “U.S.-India Partnership in Space: A Path Toward Cooperation,” in the book, The Future of U.S.–India Security Cooperation, edited by Sumit Ganguly and M. Chris Mason, Manchester University Press, 2021. In this chapter, Ms. Samson examines the evolution, current status, and potential of U.S.-India strategic space cooperation, highlighting space as an area for positive engagement.
SWF Contribution to UNGA Resolution 75/36, “Reducing Space Threats Through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviors”
In response to UN General Assembly Resolution 75/36, SWF has published views on “Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of behaviour.” This submission is offered as information for UN Member States to take into consideration when submitting their views; to improve accessibility, there are translated versions in Arabic, French, and Spanish now available.
Updated Fact Sheets on Anti-Satellite Weapons, RPOs, and the X-37B
SWF has released updated versions of eleven fact sheets on ASAT testing in space, RPOs conducted in Earth orbit, and the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. Together, these activities have generated concerns from many countries about the increasingly contested nature of space. The SWF fact sheets provide updated factual information on the current status of these capabilities and assessments of their impact on space security and sustainability. More details and links to all the fact sheets can be found here.
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Events
April 8 & April 15, 2021
SWF and CSIS Co-Host Counterspace Panels
SWF and CSIS co-hosted two events highlighting the two organizations’ recently released complementary counterspace reports. The first event, The Dark Arts in Space: Developments in Counterspace Weapons, held on April 8, 2021, featured analysts from SWF and CSIS who provided summaries of changes over the past year along with the overall trends and implications for space security. More details and a video recording of the event can be found here. The second event, Defense Against the Dark Arts in Space, held on April 15, 2021, highlighted methods to protect space systems from counterspace weapons, including active and passive defenses, strategy and policy measures, and diplomatic initiatives. Moderated by SWF Washington Office Director Victoria Samson, the speakers were David Edmondson, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Todd Harrison, CSIS; Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) (and SWF Advisory Committee member); and Frank Rose, Brookings Institution. More details and a video recording of the event can be found here.
April 12, 2021
Developing Norms of Behaviors for Near Earth Space: Safety, Security, and Sustainability
Dr. Moriba Jah, Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, and Program Lead of the Strauss Center's Space Security and Safety Program, joined the LBJ School for a conversation on developing norms of behavior for near earth space. This talk was co-sponsored by the Secure World Foundation and the Strauss Center and was tailored for students interested in learning more about space law and policy. More details and the video recording can be found here.
April 15, 2021
Accessible Moon Salon: International Coordination for Lunar Exploration - The Practitioners’ View
This panel featured a roundtable discussion amongst experts in the space industry who are experienced advocates in multilateral fora for issues such as sustainability, standards development, and heritage site designation. The panel included Executive Director Peter Martinez and others who drew upon their professional experiences, offering practical advice and guidance as the group looks ahead to ensure lunar exploration is truly the province of all humankind.
April 25, 2021
SWF Co-Organizes Third Sino-U.S. Commercial Space Workshop
Secure World Foundation, Caelus Foundation and the Chinese Society of Astronautics co-organized the Third Sino-U.S. Commercial Space Workshop. This event was held on the margin of the 2021 China Space Conference and is part of an ongoing series of events being co-organized by SWF, Caelus Foundation, and the Chinese Society of Astronautics as a platform for exchanges of perspectives on, and discussion of, commercial space developments in the two countries.
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Staff Activities and Presentations
April 6, 2021
Victoria Samson Joins Expert Panel on UK Space Command
Ms. Samson joined an expert panel sponsored by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) based in London, UK, to examine the start-up of the UK Space Command, outlining its function and place within the country’s defense structures and its relationship to civil and commercial activities, as well as broader UK space ambitions and how they fit into a larger global trend of the increasing presence of military space. More details and a video recording of the event can be found here.
April 8, 2021
SWF Provides Public Lecture on the Space Force and Overall Trends in National Security Space
SWF Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden gave a virtual public lecture to the Charlottesville Committee on Foreign Relations discussing the Space Force and current trends in national security space. Dr. Weeden provided an overview of why space was important for national security, the history of U.S. policy on national security space, the trends that drove increased concerns about space threats, how that translated into the Space Force and other recent changes, and what big unanswered questions remain. Dr. Weeden's presentation can be found here.
April 10–April 11, 2021
SWF Staff Serve as Subject Matter Experts at 6th South America Space Generation Workshop
Director of Space Application Programs Krystal Azelton and Space Law Advisor Chris Johnson served as subject matter experts at the 6th South America Space Generation Workshop. This workshop brought together 60 students and young professionals to engage with industry representatives, and nurture the next generation’s perspective on space and scientific matters in the South American region.
April 21, 2021
SWF Staff Discuss Counterspace Proliferation and Space Arms Control at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Dr. Weeden gave an invited lecture to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) Strategic Forum, a monthly series featuring speakers on a range of topics to help inform the Agency's workforce on emerging threats and challenges. Dr. Weeden gave an overview of the trends in the proliferation of global counterspace capabilities, an overview of U.S. policy and multilateral initiatives on space arms control, and the prospects for future agreements.
April 27, 2021
SWF Contributes to the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of UN COPUOS
Dr. Weeden gave a statement under the Exchange of Views agenda item to the 58th Session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC) of the the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS). The statement provided a summary of SWF’s activities on space sustainability that advance the issues currently being addressed by UN COPUOS.
Apr 29, 2021
SWF Executive Director Delivers Invited Talk on LTS Guidelines
Dr. Martinez delivered an invited talk on the UN COPUOS space sustainability guidelines organized by the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies. Dr. Martinez started by providing a brief overview of the development of these guidelines, then summarized the salient features of the guidelines,and discussed their implementation. UNOOSA Director Dr. Simonetta Di Pippo also contributed to the lecture, highlighting UNOOSA’s work in capacity-building for the LTS Guidelines and how they form an integral part of the emerging governance framework for further space operations, including global space traffic management.
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Experts in the Media
April 2, 2021
What’s next for the National Space Council
SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities Report was cited in the POLITICO Space Newsletter.
April 6, 2021
Secure World Foundation Says Russia is Testing New LEO, GEO Anti-Satellite Technologies
SWF’s analysis of Russian counterspace capabilities was highlighted in Via Satellite.
April 6, 2021
Russia is dialing up its military space ambitions
Ms. Samson was quoted in an article by Axios Space about Russia’s future plans for its space program.
April 9, 2021
SMC Revamp Sidesteps Hill’s Space Acquisition Worries
Ms. Samson was quoted in a BreakingDefense article about Space Force’s acquisition command redesign.
April 12, 2021
Chinese Space from a US Perspective (feat. Ian Christensen & Rob Ronci)
Director of Private Sector Programs Ian Christensen appeared on the DongFang Hour podcast to discuss the recent SWF and Caelus Foundation paper, "Lost Without Translation: Identifying Gaps in U.S. Perceptions of the Chinese Commercial Space Sector," with co-author Rob Ronci.
April 13, 2021
In China, a Telescope Offers Cosmic Data Amid Earthly Tensions
Ms. Samson spoke about China using space for soft power outreach in an article in Undark.
April 16, 2021
Analysts: China’s space programs are a security concern to the U.S. but not all are nefarious
Ms.Samson was quoted in an article about perceptions of China’s space program and potential plans.
April 18, 2021
Russia, U.S. and China Are in a Scary New Space Race
Ms. Samson and Dr. Weeden were interviewed by Bloomberg on the proliferation of counterspace weapons.
April 21, 2021
China is Developing Plans for a 13.000 Satellite Megaconstellation
Mr. Christensen was quoted by SpaceNews on Chinese megaconstellation plans
April 27, 2021
A Make-or-Break Moment for Cleaning up Space Junk
Mr. Christensen was quoted by Axios on active debris removal activities.
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