|
|
|
|
|
|
Secure World Foundation Newsletter
November 2022
|
|
Insight - Improving Global Space Situational Awareness Capabilities More Critical Than Ever
by Dr. Brian Weeden, Director of Program Planning, and Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director
Sometimes it can be difficult to observe change that is happening right under our feet unless we take a step back to reflect on the recent past. Six years ago, we posted an Insight piece on the challenges posed by the lack of space situational awareness (SSA) to handle the growing number of small satellites. At the time, there were approximately 1,400 active satellites in Earth orbit that were performing more than 100 maneuvers per year to minimize the risks of collisions in space. Today, the number of active satellites has grown to more than 6,900 and the largest constellation, SpaceX’s Starlink, is performing several thousand automated avoidance maneuvers every year.
Read More Here
|
|
|
Announcements
SWF is proud to present an all new Secure World Foundation Podcast series
As part of our on-going effort to reach wider audiences, SWF is proud to launch a new occasional podcast series. The first series will consist of “Conversations on Investing & Space Sustainability.” Join Ian Christensen, SWF’s Director of Private Sector Programs, as he interviews current leading experts in the realm of investment for outer space activities, looking at the role that “space sustainability” plays in deciding where to invest resources and the role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in space sector investing.
See podcast episodes and download here.
|
|
October 8, 2022
How to Manage Crisis Stability in Space
Crisis stability in space remains a significant challenge for space sustainability. As more countries rely on space for national security purposes, it increases the incentive for other countries to develop counterspace capabilities of their own and the chances that space might be a flashpoint for future conflicts. To better understand these issues, SWF Washington Office Director Ms. Victoria Samson and Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden contributed to the second edition of "Crisis Stability in Space: China and Other Challenges," which was recently released by the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The report was edited by Bruce MacDonald and included contributions from multiple authors. Ms. Samson and Dr. Weeden contributed an overview of current global counterspace capabilities and Ms. Samson contributed a chapter on "International and Other Options to Strengthen Crisis Stability."
|
|
Events
October 10, 2022
Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference
For the tenth year, SWF staff contributed to the annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. which was held in a hybrid format this year from Sept. 27-30, 2022. SWF helped organize and actively participated in the Policy Forum held at the beginning of each day, which consisted of a keynote speaker followed by a panel discussion on a policy topic related to space situational awareness (SSA), and also organized a side event, the AMOS Dialogue, to discuss issues related to SSA data sharing.
October 21, 2022
SWF Co-Hosts event with Costa Rican Mission to the UN on How Space Benefits Life on Earth
SWF and the Costa Rican mission to the United Nations organized a panel discussion at UN Headquarters in NYC, NY, to raise awareness about the myriad of benefits derived from space-based services that impact people around the world on a day-to-day basis. The event held on Oct. 21, 2022, “For the benefit of humankind: Understanding how space activities improve life on Earth,” sought to provide information for delegates at the United Nations of the importance of space to their work. Moderator Ana Avila of the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations guided the conversation between panelists Peter Martinez, SWF Executive Director; Caroline Juang, PhD Candidate and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Fellow at Columbia University; and Mark Iliffe, Geographer at the United Nations Statistics Division. Opening remarks were given by Ambassador Maritza Chan-Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations.
|
|
Staff Activities and Presentations
October 11, 2022
Identifying Space Policy Priorities for Enhancing Space Sustainability
SWF Director of Program Planning, Dr. Brian Weeden, participated in a panel discussion on "Utilizing the ultimate frontier responsibly", which was part of a series of webinars organized by the United nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to help celebrate World Space Week in 2022. Dr. Weeden gave a short presentation on why space sustainability is critical for not only space activities but also benefits on Earth, and identified five priorities for future governance discussions: space environmental management, orbital debris remediation/removal, space traffic management, and lunar activities.
October 14-15, 2022
Victoria Samson Participates in Workshop on Commercial Sat Companies and Armed Conflicts
SWF Washington Office Director, Victoria Samson, participated in a workshop hosted by the Outer Space Institute, “Commercial Satellites, Large Constellations, and Armed Conflict.” This invite-only workshop, held on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, discussed the role of satellite companies in non-Western armed conflicts and how the laws of armed conflict may apply or be interpreted in these circumstances.
October 18, 2022
Security and Legal Challenges with Close Approaches in Space at the 2022 UN-L Space Law Conference
SWF Director of Program Planning, Dr. Brian Weeden, participated in a panel discussion on "Unfriendly Rendezvous and Proximity Operations: How close is too close?" at the 15th Annual Space Law Conference organized by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln Space law program in Washington, DC.
Read More Here
October 19-21, 2022
Victoria Samson Gives a Presentation on Counterspace Trends
SWF Washington Office Director, Victoria Samson, gave a presentation called "Threats to Space Operations: Counterspace Capabilities," at the Wilton Park event, "Defence and Security of Space: Sharing perspectives on military operations and behaviours in space.” In this presentation, she discussed trends in counterspace capabilities globally and the role that anti-satellite tests have played in creating long-lived debris.
October 21, 2022
2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance
Director of Space Application Programs, Krystal Azelton, spoke on a virtual panel entitled ‘Exploring the interface of Earth and Space governance’ at the 2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance. She kicked-off the discussion by talking about the importance of satellite applications and Earth-Space interdependencies. Other speakers explored how would an integrative model of Earth-Space governance look like from the ESG perspective.
October 22, 2022
Christopher Johnson Discusses Space Law and Space Mining
SWF Space Law Advisor, Christopher Johnson, spoke as part of a panel on space mining at the 2022 International Law Weekend held at Fordham University in New York City. The panel, “The Rush for Resources: International Legal Implications of Space Mining”, featured industry and academia and looked at the emerging normative framework for space resources, including in the context of space exploration.
October 24, 2022
Dr. Peter Martinez Discusses Space Resources at the United Nations
SWF Executive Director, Dr. Peter Martinez, served as a discussant on a panel on resources outside of state territory at the 32nd Informal Meeting of Legal Advisors at the United Nations in New York. The panel “Resources in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction – Outer Space and Maritime Areas” was held in the Trusteeship Council room, part of a day-long program of presentations for legal advisors to delegations at United Nations Headquarters.
October 24-26, 2022
Ian Christensen Discusses Norms and Space Safety at AIAA ASCEND
SWF Director of Private Sector Programs, Ian Christensen, participated in the AIAA ASCEND conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Christensen was part of two panels at the conference. On October 25th he moderated a panel entitled "Advancing National Security Norms in Space" which discussed the path forward for adoption of national security space norms, including the United States' commitment to not conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing. On October 26th he spoke as part of the panel session on "The Challenge of Shared Learning of Spaceflight Safety in a Rapidly Growing Space Community." In this session Mr. Christensen shared experience from the CONFERS efforts to develop responsible operations practices and standards for satellite servicing activities.
October 26-28, 2022
Victoria Samson Participates in ORF's CyFy Conference
SWF Washington Office Director, Victoria Samson, participated in several sessions at the Observer Research Foundation’s CyFy 2022 conference on technology, innovation, and society, held in New Delhi, India. She spoke on one panel about the UN’s Open-Ended Working Group and its possible pathways for developing norms of behavior for responsible space actors, and she moderated a panel examining the future of space traffic management. For more information, please visit the conference website.
|
|
|
Click here for the latest SWF media appearances.
|
|
SWF Young Professional Scholarship Recipient's IAC papers published. Read more, here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
