The 6th Summit for Space Sustainability will be held in coordination with the Asia-Pacific’s leading commercial space conference SPACETIDE 2024, which will take place in Tokyo from July 8-10, 2024. The venue for the Summit will be the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), Tokyo.
Make sure to mark your calendars for this unique opportunity to collaborate with global stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society, all committed to developing solutions for space sustainability.
Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite Missile Tests: State Positions on the Moratorium UNGA Resolution, and Lessons for the Future
The topic of destructive anti-satellite missile testing has recently become highly salient. In April 2022, the United States announced a unilateral moratorium pledging to stop the testing of destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles. The following month, in May 2022, discussion on this and other related issues began within the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours.
On December 7, 2022, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of adopting resolution A/RES/77/41, which calls upon States to commit not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests. The resolution was adopted by a wide margin of 155 States voting in favor, with 9 against and 9 abstentions. To date, 37 countries have made the unilateral commitment called for in this resolution. Notably, of these 37 States, the United States, India, China, and Russia are the only states that have demonstrated direct anti-satellite missile capability - and at the time of writing, India, China, and Russia have supported this UN resolution.
This report, authored by Ching Wei Sooi, with support from the Swiss Existential Risk Initiative, provides insight into key questions such as: what prompted the moratorium and resolution, the reasons behind the widespread support in the UN General Assembly, and why it is that, despite the 155 votes in favor of the resolution, more states have not yet made the unilateral commitment envisaged in this UN resolution.
Multiple Fact Sheets Released on Multilateral Space Security Initiatives
SWF has published fact sheets explaining the state and significance of several recent multilateral space security initiatives. This page summarizes several of these major multilateral space security initiatives and discussions proposed since 2020. These fact sheets were authored by SWF Program Associate Seth Walton.
On October 5, 2004, the Russian Federation announced that it would not be the first to place any weapons in outer space, and called on all nations with space capabilities to follow suit (a non-legally binding commitment often referred to as No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space Pledge, or NFP). Voting records of UNGA resolutions supporting this pledge can be found here. As of September 1, 2023, 31 countries have made the same pledge not to deploy any kind of weapons in outer space; for the list of the countries, the dates that they made the pledge, and the language that they used, please visit here.
On December 12, 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 77/41, which called upon all States to commit not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests and to continue discussions in the relevant bodies to enhance space security. Voting on the resolution can be found here. On April 19, 2022, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris publicly announced that the United States would voluntarily commit not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) missile testing, and that the United States seeks to establish this as a new international norm for responsible behavior in space. As of October 20, 2023, 37 countries have made the same pledge not to conduct destructive DA-ASAT missile testing. A fact sheet listing the countries, the dates that they made the commitment, and the exact wording of their announcement can be found here.
Finally, SWF Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden authored a fact sheet on the “2022 Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats.” This fact sheet discusses the history and background of the recently completed Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on “Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours.” It examines its focus and structure, and discusses next steps for multilateral space security negotiations. And it points out that “While the OEWG was ultimately unable to come to consensus on a final report, it advanced the multilateral discussion on space security significantly by highlighting the value of norms in addition to legally-binding measures and bringing more countries into the conversation.”
SWF Director of Space Security Victoria Samson and Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden contributed an essay to a series the Stimson Center just launched on the New Space Age addressing the democratization of space and global space governance. Ms. Samson and Dr. Weeden argue in their piece, “A Window of Opportunity for Space Security?” that “during the past several years, major actors have shifted their approach to space security, revitalizing the process enough that a previously unthinkable outcome — the creation of a new treaty banning the testing of destructive anti-satellite weapons — is a (albeit small) possibility.”
SWF Participates in International Astronautical Congress
SWF Director of Private Sector Programs Ian Christensen was an attendee at the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC), held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Mr. Christensen attended the Congress to participate in several project-related meetings. SWF also awarded five young professionalsthe Dr. Michael Simpson scholarship for travel and participation in 2023.
2023 Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship winners (from left to right): SWF Director of Private Sector Programs Ian Christensen, Daniel Patton, Tanushri Dinesh Joshi, Natalia Indira Vargas Cuentas, Jodie Howlett, and Scott Anthony Schneider.
October 26 | Virtual
A Vibe Check on Space Security Diplomacy: Progress or More Spinning Wheels?
On October 26, SWF held a webinar to discuss what happened during the recent United Nations Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on “Reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviors,” why it was important, and what the next steps might be. SWF Director of Space Security and Stability Programs Ms. Victoria Samson moderated a panel of experts to recap the OEWG, why is represented a significant positive change in how space security is discussed within the UN, and also the uncertainty about where that discussion goes from here. SWF Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden had a conversation with Ching Wei Sooi about his research this past summer with the Swiss Existential UN General Assembly resolution supporting the moratorium on anti-satellite testing. Dr. Weeden also reviewed several new SWF products related to these space security topics.
SWF Presents on Challenges to International Security
SWF Director of Space Security and Stability Victoria Samson gave an in-depth virtual presentation on “Space Security and Challenges to International Security” to the Titan Brain Trust (TBT) of the Space Economy Evolution (SEE) Lab, SDA Bocconi School of Management. The TBT is a program by the SEE Lab where that convenes high-level discussions concerning paramount space-related matters and is a platform for its members to engage with external subject experts. Ms. Samson spoke about global counterspace capabilities. multilateral discussion on space security issues, and tools for improving communication and transparency.
SWF Discusses Options for a Future International Arrangement on Satellite Servicing at GSSF
SWF Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden participated in a panel discussion on “Developing a Multilateral Arrangement for Space Servicing” as part of the 6th annual Global Satellite Servicing Forum. The two-day event hosted by CONFERS, is the space sector’s premier in-space infrastructure and operations event. This year’s GSSF was held 11-12 October in Arlington, VA, and brought together more than 200 leading commercial and government satellite operators, satellite manufacturers, satellite service providers, policy leaders, financial and insurance experts, and media to discuss in-space assembly, servicing, and manufacturing (ISAM).
SWF Speaks at UN Side Event on Space Security Discussions
SWF Director of Space Security and Stability Victoria Samson spoke at a UN General Assembly First Committee side event hosted by the UK Foreign Ministry and Commonwealth Office, “Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules, and Principles of Responsible Behaviours: a new approach to preventing an arms race in outer space.” This side event, held at the UN headquarters in New York, assessed the effects of the recently completed Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours (OEWG) and looked toward next steps. Ms. Samson gave a perspective from civil society on how she thought the discussions went and possibilities for future success.
October 23 | Washington, DC
SWF Speaks about India’s Moon Landing
SWF Director of Space Security and Stability Victoria Samson spoke at an event, “Implications of India’s Moon Landing,” analyzing the geopolitical and technical implications of India’s most recent soft landing on the Moon. This event was hosted by the South Asian Policy and Research Initiative (SAPRI), which is composed of master’s students at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. She discussed ISRO’s recent release of its national space policy, the significance of India’s signing the Artemis Accords, and what this means vis-a-vis China’s moon ambitions.
October 24 | Perth, Australia
SWF Hosts a Panel on Connection between Sustainability on Earth and in Space
Director of Space Application Programs Krystal Azelton hosted a panel titled “The Connection between Sustainability on Earth and Sustainability in Space” at the Indo-Pacific Space & Earth Conference, an event focused on delving into all the technologies that can be applied both on Earth and in space. Panelists included Aude Vignelles, Chief Technology Officer at the Australian Space Agency, Alan Brunstrom, ESA Applications Ambassador, Terry Van Haren, Managing Director at Leolabs, and Zandria Farrell, National Manager for Space at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. They looked at how the rapid rise in the utilization of satellites for scientific, commercial, and societal benefits has been enabled and supported by a space environment that remains stable and accessible to all. They also discussed that the long-term sustainability of that environment faces challenges - both natural and human-induced - that pose a risk to the continued stability of operations. Discussion focused on threats to several of these risks ranging from orbital debris to space weather as well as the link to sustainability on Earth in areas like agriculture, oceans, and global infrastructure.
November 16-17 | Ian Christensen will attend an Outer Space Institute organization workshop on astronomy and dark & quiet skies in Vancouver, British Columbia
29 November - 1 December | SWF, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), and the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) will co-host an International Workshop on Space Resources: Perspectives of Emerging Space Programs in Daejeon, Korea
December 14 | Dr. Brian Weeden will virtually participate at the OECD Space Forum Workshop on the Economics of Space Sustainability Assessing Their Effects
The Secure World Foundation was proud to partner with the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University for the opening of Max Alexander's exhibit, "Our Fragile Space" in Washington, DC.
The Exhibit is currently on display to the public at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs (1957 E ST NW, Washington, DC 20052) in the atrium outside the Harry Harding Auditorium on the second floor. It will remain open through the end of the fall semester, approximately December 12, 2023.
