|
|
|
|
|
|
Secure World Foundation Newsletter
June 2017
|
|
Announcements
SWF Scholarships for IAC 2017 are Available to Young Professionals - Deadline June 11
The Secure World Foundation is accepting applications from young professionals for scholarships to aid in traveling to present papers at this year's International Astronautical Congress (IAC). The goal of these scholarships is to provide young space professionals an opportunity to participate in one of the most prestigious international space conferences to further their professional development and inject new ideas into the community. Scholarship winners will be announced August 1, 2017.
May 23, 2017
SWF Submitted a Letter to Congress on Commercial Space Development and the Outer Space Treaty
The Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness held a hearing on “Reopening the American Frontier: Exploring How the Outer Space Treaty Will Impact American Commerce and Settlement in Space.” The purpose of the hearing was to examine the relationship of the Outer Space Treaty to the ongoing development of the U.S. commercial space industry. SWF submitted a letter for the record in support of the Subcommittee’s deliberations, which included suggestions for promoting commercial development in space.
|
|
Insight - Space Weather as a Sustainability Issue
By Krystal Wilson, Project Manager
Space weather may sound like an issue invented by Hollywood to threaten fictional space explorers, or at least something distant that would not affect your daily activities, but it’s a real natural phenomenon with potentially significant impacts on space sustainability and for everyday life. Space weather refers to a group of physical processes that begin as the Sun emits energy and ultimately end by affecting human activities on Earth and in space. NASA describes this process as:
“the Sun regularly releases a constant stream of magnetic solar material called the solar wind, along with occasional huge clouds of solar material called coronal mass ejections. This material interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, causing temporary changes. These changes produce effects that range from mild such as the aurora borealis to more extreme such as electric power grid blackouts.”
Space weather can also impact satellites by damaging onboard electronics and disrupting communications or navigation signals, leading to temporary service disruptions and a long-term degradation of spacecraft reliability and lifetime...continue reading.
|
|
Events
May 12, 2017
SWF Collaborated with Sherman & Howard to Host Panel Event Discussing the Outer Space Treaty & Colorado Space Business
Secure World Foundation and Sherman & Howard partnered to host a breakfast event discussing the ongoing relevancy of the Outer Space Treaty to commercial space business in Colorado, the United States, and globally. Discussion emphasized the nature of the Treaty as a document of principles, rather than a prescriptive regime, and highlighted the foundational role that the Treaty has played in establishing and supporting the global space sector. The video recording is available here.
May 18, 2017
SWF Co-Hosted Space Weather as a Global Challenge Conference at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
The Embassy of Italy, the U.S. Department of State, and Secure World Foundation held a discussion on space weather as a global challenge with a focus on research, operations, and preparedness. Featuring space-weather experts from across the world, the morning's three panels focused on space weather research and observations, space weather services, and industry perspectives. Following lunch, the participants gathered for technical discussions about improving research and observation, developing international frameworks, and enhancing preparedness.
|
|
Staff Activities and Presentations
May 1-5, 2017
2017 NOAA Space Weather Workshop: The Meeting of Science, Research, Applications, Operations, and Users
Project Manager Krystal Wilson attended the 2017 NOAA Space Weather Workshop held in Broomfield, Colorado. This meeting focused on the impacts of space weather and on recent scientific advances in specifying and predicting the conditions in the space environment and was co-sponsored by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the NSF Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, and the NASA Heliophysics Division.
May 2, 2017
Space Resources Policy Issues Discussed at Canadian Institute of Mining 2017 Convention
Project Manager Ian Christensen spoke at the 2017 Space Resources Roundtable, held as part of the Canadian Institute of Mining 2017 Convention in Montreal, Quebec. Mr. Christensen's presentation provided an update on international policy and legal discussions related to the emerging space resources industry. The presentation also introduced the ongoing work of the Hague Space Resources Governance Working Group, of which SWF is a member and partner.
May 2-3, 2017
Informing the 2017 Space Security Index
Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden participated in the Space Security Index Working Group in Montreal, Canada. The Space Security Index (SSI) is an annual publication developed by Project Ploughshares that tracks multiple indicators of space sustainability and security. The Working Group brings together international experts to review and comment on draft chapters for the SSI developed by student researchers. This year's researchers include students from McGill University in Canada, University of Adelaide in Australia, George Washington University and American University in the United States, and Matej Bel University in Slovakia.
May 5-6, 2017
Fifth Manfred Lachs International Conference Considers Issues of Global Space Governance and the UN 2030 Agenda
The Institute of Air and Space Law and the Centre for Research in Air and Space Law Faculty of Law of McGill University held the 5th Fifth Manfred Lachs International Conference in Montreal, Canada. Ms. Wilson spoke on “Challenges to Using Volunteered Geographic Information for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.” Her presentation can be found here.
May 8-13, 2017
Two Events in South Africa Look at Earth Observation Initiatives
Ms. Wilson spoke at the 37th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment (ISRSE-37) and then attended the co-located GEO Work Programme Symposium in Tshwane, South Africa. Hosted by the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), ISRSE-37 focused on the theme “Earth Observation for Development and Adaptation to a Changing World.” Ms. Wilson presented on the importance of new user needs and highlighted SWF’s new resource, the Handbook for New Actors in Space.
May 22, 2017
Chris Johnson Appointed Adjunct Faculty at International Space University
|
|
Experts in the Media
May 9, 2017
Victoria Samson Interviewed on BBC Radio on X-37B Landing
May 10, 2017
Victoria Samson Quoted by Agency France-Presse on X-37B
May 17, 2017
Brian Weeden Quoted by Breaking Defense on Implications of a New 4-Star Space Warfighter for the Air Force
Jun 1, 2017
Victoria Samson Interviewed about Global Cooperation on Space Travel by CGTN America
|
|
Publications
May 5, 2017
Victoria Samson Published in SpaceWatch Middle East
Washington Office Director Victoria Samson discusses the Space Symposium and SWF's release of the Handbook for New Actors in Space.
May 24, 2017
SWF Published Updated Fact Sheet on Space Situational Awareness
The fact sheet provides an overview of what SSA is, why it is important to space sustainability, and global SSA capabilities. The May 2017 update includes recent improvements to SSA capabilities by the United States, Russia, and the private sector.
May 26, 2017
SWF Published Summary Report from Workshop on Principles for Safe and Responsible Active Debris Removal
In a small group gathering of technical experts from government, academia, and industry the workshop provided a facilitated discussion of basic principles, key issues, and opportunities to be addressed in order to ensure that active debris removal (ADR) activities develop in a safe responsible and transparent matter.
Jun 1, 2017
SWF Published Updated Fact Sheet on the Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
SWF has published an updated version of our fact sheet on the U.S. Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. The updated fact sheet includes new details on the first four flights of the two X-37Bs, including launch and re-entry locations and dates, as well as updated analysis of the various missions the X-37B could potentially be used for while on orbit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
