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Secure World Foundation Newsletter
April 2023
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Insight - "Strengthening Space Governance" at the Summit for Space Sustainability
by Krystal Azelton, Director of Space Applications Programs and Dr. Brian Weeden, Director of Program Planning
The 5th Summit for Space Sustainability, taking place in New York City, is now less than six weeks 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 next few months leading up to this event, the 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 second theme: strengthening space governance. Read more.
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Announcements
Dr. Brian Weeden Receives the 2023 Doolittle Award from the MIT Security Studies Program
On Tuesday, April 25, SWF Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden was honored to receive this year's General Jimmy Doolittle Award from the Security Studies Program (SSP) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The award is given annually at a reception commemorating the legacy of James "Jimmy" Doolittle, a US Air Force General, aviation pioneer, and MIT alumnus who led the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War II. Each year, SSP faculty, students, and guests from the broader MIT and military communities gather to honor the recipient, who is chosen for their contributions to the field of air and space power.
Summit for Space Sustainability Agenda and Keynotes
The SWF is honored to announce Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, as the Opening Keynote Speaker. Additionally, Lieutenant General John E. Shaw, the Deputy Commander at the U.S. Space Command, will lead a fireside chat on the Future of Military Space Activities. Please visit our Speakers page here for an up-to-date list of scheduled speakers, moderators, and panelists.
We are also proud to partner with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and the UK Space Agency to offer seven students or young professionals the opportunity to attend the Summit for Space Sustainability. For more details, visit the scholarship page here. All submissions must be made by 16 May 2023, 23:59 GMT.
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Publications
SWF Releases 2023 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report
The SWF has released its annual report, “Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment.” Edited by SWF Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden and Washington Office Director Victoria Samson, the report compiles and assesses publicly available information on the counterspace capabilities being developed by eleven countries across five categories: direct-ascent, co-orbital, electronic warfare, directed energy, and cyber. It assesses the current and near-term future capabilities for each country, along with their potential military utility.
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 year's editions, can be found here.
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Events
April 12, 2023
SWF Staff Contribute to Webinar on Legal and Policy Issues in the New Orbital Economy
The SWF contributed to a webinar on "Legal and Policy Issues in the New Orbital Economy" organized by the Global Law Center at Cleveland State University. The half day event brought together experts from government, industry, and academia to discuss current space law challenges and issues stemming from the increased commercial space activities.
Director of Program Planning Dr. Brian Weeden spoke on a panel on "Space Traffic Management" and discussed recent policy efforts and their implementation in the United States to create the beginnings of a space traffic management regime, as well as some of the outstanding issues that still need to be addressed. Space Law Advisor Mr. Christopher Johnson spoke on a panel on "Orbital Debris, ASAT Tests, and Decommissioning Satellites" where he provided an overview of the legal aspects of those activities, including areas where the current international legal regime is unclear.
April 18, 2023
SWF and the UK Space Agency co-hosted a salon luncheon at the Space Symposium
The SWF and the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) hosted a luncheon salon, “Drivers for space sustainability,” at the Space Foundation’s 38th Space Symposium held in Colorado Springs, CO, USA, on April 18, 2023. The United Kingdom is increasing its commitment to space sustainability. The salon luncheon was an opportunity to hear senior leaders discuss diverse solution-oriented topics as drivers for space sustainability. Opening remarks were delivered by Lord David Willetts, chairman of UKSA’s board, where he announced that UKSA will be an anchor sponsor of SWF’s Summit for Space Sustainability this year. He was followed by Ian Annett from the UK Space Agency, who then addressed the UKSA's vision for space sustainability. SWF’s Victoria Samson then moderated the panel of experts made up by Allison Areias (United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)), Rebecca Evernden (UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)), John Janka (ViaSat), and Joanne Wheeler (Alden Legal).
April 24, 2023
Dialogue on Perspectives on Lunar Commercialization: Value and Activities
SWF, the Chinese Society of Astronautics (CSA), and Caelus Foundation (CF) co-organized the Space High-End Dialogue Series 2023: Perspectives on Lunar Commercialization: Value and Activities on the Moon for the Interest of Humanity, as part of our ongoing series of dialogs exploring perspectives on space commercialization in the U.S. and China. This event was held in a hybrid mode in association with the 2023 China Space Day conference. During the event SWF, CF, and CSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding documenting the intent of the three organizations to continue this dialogue series. For more information please see the event page on the Secure World Foundation website.
May 5, 2023
SWF hosts a panel at the Geospatial World Forum
The SWF hosted a panel session at the Geospatial World Forum in Rotterdam on May 5th. This panel highlighted the importance of linking the value of space technology with space sustainability efforts in areas such as spectrum, space debris, and law and policy. The panel explored the connection between space technology, space sustainability, the protection of geospatial assets and data, and impacts on the end-user.
Director of Space Applications, Krystal Azelton, led a discussion that served as a chance for operators, academics, and government officials to have an in-depth dialogue about the importance of space sustainability. Kees Van Der Pols from Clearspace spoke to the orbital debris problem and how Clearspace plans to address it. Sarah Erickson from UNIDIR presented on the importance of security and space for remote sensing and end users as well as the push towards an ASAT test ban and why the audience should support this effort. Dimitra Stefoudi from the University of Leiden gave insight into the legal and policy considerations of space sustainability.
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Staff Activities and Presentations
April 3-7, 2023
SWF Attended the 8th IAA Planetary Defense Conference
SWF Space Law Advisor Mr. Christopher Johnson discussed the political stressors placed on decisionmakers facing an actual NEO threat in the Decision to Act session of the 8th IAA Planetary Defense Conference, in Vienna, Austria. Mr. Johnson also served as a panelist on legal aspects of planetary defense.
April 4, 2023
Victoria Samson Speaks on SSA Challenges for U. of Adelaide Workshop
SWF Washington Office Director Victoria Samson spoke virtually about the challenges and opportunities of SSA for a workshop hosted by the University of Adelaide, “The Future of Space Situational Awareness and Space Traffic Management.” Ms. Samson spoke about how the proliferation of counterspace capabilities destabilizes the space environment and vastly complicates SSA, the role SSA can play in verifying activities in orbit, the SSA stress placed by very large constellations, and how cislunar SSA is the next phase of SSA challenges.
April 17 - 18, 2023
SWF addresses G20 Space Economy Leader Meeting (SELM) Precursor Meeting
SWF Director of Private Sector Programs Mr. Ian Christensen presented at the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM) Precursor Meeting in Shillong, India. The SELM, the fourth such Meeting held under the G20, is a meeting of G20 nation space agencies, with the goal of raising the visibility of space issues within the G20. The SELM Precursor Meeting, held under India’s G20 Presidency, was a gathering of Ambassadors and other high level diplomatic representatives in India, and was intended to serve a preparatory role for the SELM to be held in July 2023. Mr. Christensen’s remarks (here) focused on the role of responsibility and sustainability in the context of private sector practices; and how G20 nations can support such activities.
April 26 - 27, 2023
Victoria Samson speaks at the 18th Annual Military Space Situational Awareness Conference on counterspace issues
SWF Washington Office Director Victoria Samson spoke at the 18th Military Space Situational Awareness Conference held in London, UK by the SAE Media Group and supported by the UK Space Agency. Her talk focused on global counterspace activities and multilateral discussions. She gave an update of the 2023 version of SWF’s Global Counterspace Threat Assessment, discussed the destabilizing role of debris-causing ASAT tests plays in the space environment, and highlighted international negotiations on responsible behavior as one path forward.
May 2 - 5, 2023
Victoria Samson speaks at the Space for Island Nations Conference in the Maldives
SWF Washington Office Director Victoria Samson spoke at the Space for Island Nations Conference in the Maldives, hosted by the Maldives Space Research Organisation, and the first ever space conference focused on Island Nations and the Maldives as a host country. Her panel was “New Space Diplomacy - how does international cooperation keep pace with emerging space?” She focused on the current state of space security and stability, why small island nations should be concerned about and involved in discussions about how to make space more predictable and safe for all, and what some of those solutions might be.
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Click here for the latest SWF media appearances.
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The Lunar Policy Handbook, a new publication focusing on the emergence of lunar activities and the necessity of purposeful lunar governance and appropriate oversight, was developed by SWF and the other conveners of the Moon Dialogs, and is now available for free download at the Open Lunar website.
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