Brian Weeden Discusses Options for a Future International Arrangement on Satellite Servicing at GSSF

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Image credit: CONFERS

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 October 11-12 in Arlington, VA, and brought together more than 200 leading commercial and government satellite operators, satellite manufacturers, satellite servicing providers, policy leaders, financial and insurance experts, and media to discuss in-space assembly, servicing, and manufacturing (ISAM).

Dr. Weeden's panel discussed the possibilities for creating an international arrangement that could greatly simplify or eliminate the need for state-to-state bi-lateral agreements for every inter-state servicing mission that is undertaken. Dr. Weeden was joined on the panel by Joseph Anderson, Vice President of Space Logistics, LLC; Andrew D'uva, Strategy and Policy Advisor for the Space Data Association; Michael Gold, Chief Growth Officer for Redwire Space, Inc.; and Emily Pierce, Attorney-Advisor for Oceans, International Environmental & Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Weeden focused on the broad range of legal and policy challenges that countries might be concerned about with ISAM, including export controls, national security, and liability, and which of those might be addressed under such an arrangement.