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Secure World Foundation Newsletter
June 2023
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Insight - "Reinforcing Space Sustainability through Corporate Performace" at the Summit for Space Sustainability
by Ian Christensen, Director of Private Sector Programs, and Krystal Azelton, Director of Space Applications Programs
The 5th Summit for Space Sustainability taking place in New York City is now less than one week away! This milestone event will host a unique gathering of global stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society. It will feature keynotes, interactive sessions, panels, and networking designed to highlight opportunities and challenges for developing solutions for space sustainability. The event will focus on several critical themes, including reinforcing space sustainability through corporate performance, strengthening space governance, and building a sustainable cislunar space economy. In the lead up to this event, Secure World Foundation is sharing short topic previews, providing context and probing questions which will be expanded upon at the conference. This piece provides a preview of our third theme: reinforcing sustainability through corporate performance and strategy. Read more.
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Announcements
Applications Open for SWF's Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund to Support Young Professionals at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
We are excited to announce that the Secure World Foundation (SWF) is now accepting applications for the Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund, formerly known as the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) Scholarship Program, which supports young professionals in attending the 2023 International Astronautical Congress (IAC).
The IAC will take place from October 2-6 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and we are offering travel scholarships for space professionals under 35 years old, with papers accepted for presentation at the IAC. Since the fund's inception, we have received more than 400 applications and provided 56 scholarships to students from 28 countries.
To apply, please complete the form with your contact and paper details. Submit a short essay (max 500 words) explaining why presenting your research at the IAC is essential and what you hope to gain from the experience. Scholarship recipients must submit a trip report to SWF after the Congress. The deadline for submission is June 18th.
SWF Receives the Joseph P. Loftus Award for Space Sustainability
On May 23, 2023, SWF Executive Director Dr. Peter Martinez was honored to receive the Joseph P. Loftus Award for Space Sustainability on behalf of the entire organization. The award is presented annually by the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) to an individual, or to a team, which has made outstanding contributions in the field of space sustainability. The award honors the memory of Joseph Loftus, who was the early proponent of orbital debris research, gained an international reputation in that field and was known as the godfather of the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office.
We're honored to be recognized for our work on space sustainability, echoing Loftus's mission to protect our orbital environment. The award reinforces our dedication to sustainable space practices and preserving the usability of space for future generations.
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Publications
Space Symposium Salon Luncheon Report: Drivers of Space Sustainability
The United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) and SWF recently hosted the Drivers of Space Sustainability Luncheon Panel at 2023 Space Symposium in Colorado, US. The event started off with remarks by the Rt Hon. Lord David Willetts FRS, Steering Board Chair for the UKSA and Ian Annett, Deputy Chief Executive for the UKSA. Then the panel discussed what they saw were major drivers for space sustainability covering a range of issues related to space policy, regulation, and financing. Panelists were Allison Areias (United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)), Rebecca Evernden, (UKSA), John Janka, (Viasat); and Joanne Wheeler, (Alden Legal). This report features one-sentence summaries of each speaker’s key points, highlights from the panel discussion, and questions and answers during the Q&A session.
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Events
May 10, 2023
SWF and CCSIS Host Joint Event on A Contested Space Domain
SWF's Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden and Washington Office Director Victoria Samson participated in a joint event with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to discuss their recent reports on counterspace capabilities in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine. The event began with a fireside chat with U.S. Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) Commander Major General Shawn N. Bratton, followed by a panel discussion with Secure World Foundation and CSIS experts discussing their two recently released reports. A video recording is available here.
May 15, 2023
SWF and CGD hosted "Within Our Orbit: The Promise of Space Capabilities in Global Economy Development"
With the Center for Global Development (CGD), Secure World Foundation co-hosted the event “Within Our Obit: The Promise of Space Capabilities in Global Economic Development.” The session served as a launch for the Handbook for Space Capability Development by author Rose Croshier, a former CGD research fellow. This book makes the case for why all governments should establish a foundational space capability, discusses what such a program might look like in real terms, and suggests an approach for how to conduct early program design. Panelists discussed benefits from space-enabled capabilities, what is impeding space-enabled development, and looked at how to overcome these challenges. A full session recording is available here.
May 22-24, 2023
SWF Contributes to Discussion on Space Safety and STM at 12th IAASS Conference in Osaka
SWF's Executive Director Dr. Peter Martinez and Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden participated in and contributed to the 12th International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) Conference, entitled "Making Space Travel Safer," which was held in Osaka, Japan, May 22-24. Dr. Martinez gave a keynote on the importance of supporting the moratorium on destructive ASAT testing, and both co-chaired a special session on "Leveraging Private Sector Best Practices for Space Traffic Management."
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Staff Activities and Presentations
May 4, 2023
SWF contributes to hearing on China's Approaches to International Law
SWF's Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden testified before a hearing on "Rule by Law: China’s Increasingly Global Legal Reach," held by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in Washington, DC. Dr. Weeden’s testimony provided an overview of the current legal and normative framework for space activities, China's interactions with existing space governance institutions, and an assessment of where China's interests in this area overlap or conflict with those of the United States.
May 17, 2023
SWF spoke at Arizona State University's Interplanetary Initiative's Preventing Space War Forum
SWF's Space Law Advisor Christopher Johnson attended the one-day Preventing Space War event in Washington, DC, Chris Johnson discussed a range of topics related to space domain awareness, including international space law, deterrence, and the potential for conflict in outer space. Johnson emphasized the importance of working to prevent hostility in space, but also acknowledged the likelihood of future conflict.
May 23-25, 2023
SWF moderated a panel at the IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change
SWF’s Director of Space Application Krystal Azelton moderated the panel “Communicating about Climate Change: Can the Space Industry Tell Our Story Better?” at IAF’s Global Conference on Climate Change. Featuring Camille Bergin (@TheGalacticGal) from Vast, Emma Gatti from SpaceWatch.Global, Wu Lei from China Global Television Network, and Aravind Ravichandran from TerraWatch Space, this session linked outreach and community understanding of how space assets and data serve as a tool for climate action. They discussed current challenges including too much focus on what our industry does rather than on impacts and a growing negative narrative around billionaires in space and offered concrete solutions such as rethinking how, when, and where the industry communicates with other stakeholders.
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Click here for the latest SWF media appearances.
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SWF has launched our annual Global Counterspace Report. This is the sixth annual edition of the report, which is released in tandem with a similar report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The 2023 edition of the report adds new developments through February 2023. The full report and the Executive Summary, along with previous years' editions, can be found here.
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