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SWF May 2019 Newsletter
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Upcoming Events
May 6, 2019
India's ASAT Test: A Jolt to Space Stability

May 23–May 24, 2019
Workshop on SocioEconomic Benefits of Space Resources Utilization - African Perspectives

May 28–May 29, 2019
UNIDIR Space Security Conference: Supporting Diplomacy: Clearing the Path for Dialogue. 

Jun 9–Jun 11, 2019
5th PSSI Space Security Conference, “Evolution of the Counterspace Threat and Strengthening of International Space Partnerships”

Jun 25, 2019
Summit for Space Sustainability

Upcoming Engagements
May 6–May 9, 2019
Peter Martinez will attend and present two talks at the 12th IAA Symposium on small satellites for Earth observation in Berlin, Germany

May 7, 2019
Krystal Wilson will give a lightning talk at SGx 2019 in Washington, D.C.

May 7, 2019
Krystal Wilson will speak on a panel entitled "Making Earth Observation Data More Accessible and Commercially Actionable" at SATELLITE 2019

May 9–May 10, 2019
Brian Weeden and Ian Christensen will participate in a CONFERS workshop on satellite servicing standards in Washington, DC

May 15, 2019
Chris Johnson will serve as a panelist on “Conflicts in Space - Preventable or Unavoidable?” at McGill University in Montreal, Canada

May 15–May 17, 2019
Chris Johnson and Brian Weeden will participate at the 2019 Space Security Index Working Group in
Montreal, Canada

May 20–May 24, 2019
Chris Johnson will serve as a Core Expert and Rule Drafter at MILAMOS Workshop VII in Berlin, Germany

Jun 7–Jun 8, 2019
Brian Weeden and Ian Christensen will participate in a CONFERS workshop on satellite servicing standards in London, UK

Jun 12–Jun 21, 2019
Peter Martinez will represent SWF at the upcoming 62nd Session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna, Austria

Jul 10–Jul 24, 2019
Chris Johnson will serve as a lecturer at the 2019 ISU Space Studies Program in Strasbourg, France

Secure World Foundation Newsletter

May 2019

Insight - Avoiding Conflict in Outer Space

By Director of Program Planning, Brian Weeden, Washington Office Director, Victoria Samson, and Space Law Advisor, Chris Johnson

There is growing concern that outer space may soon become an arena for armed conflict. Although outer space has long been used to support military and intelligence activities, many fear that the increased use and reliance on space may mean it becomes an active part of future conflicts between space powers. If armed conflict was to extend into outer space, it is likely to have serious implications for global civil and commercial space activities and the long-term sustainability of space that last far beyond the conflict. As such, there needs to be a sharper focus on how to avoid armed conflict extending into space.

Although some of the rhetoric on space as a warfighting domain is overblown, there are legitimate concerns and troubling trends. As we documented in the 2019 version of our Global Counterspace Report, multiple countries are developing a wide range of counterspace capabilities and anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. Although current use of these capabilities and weapons is limited to jamming, spoofing, cyber attacks, and other non-kinetic methods, research, development, and testing of destructive kinetic methods is continuing. In March, India became the third country to destroy one of their own satellites with a direct ascent ASAT weapon in what Indian Prime Minister Modi described as a matter of “national pride” and a symbol that India had become a space power. India’s ASAT test may create political incentives for other countries to conduct their own tests, which in turn may exacerbate strategic stability in outer space...continue reading.

Announcements

Apr 10, 2019
Job Posting: SWF Colorado Office Seeking Office Coordinator
The Secure World Foundation is seeking a part-time office coordinator to provide general administrative and project support in our Broomfield, Colorado office. The successful candidate will be based in our Colorado office, able to travel occasionally, able to commit to the job for one year at a minimum. Qualified candidates, please send a cover letter and your resume outlining your work experience, education, and computer skills to jobs@swfound.org. Title the subject line of your email: CO Office Coordinator Position. No phone calls, please. The application process will remain open until the position is filled.

May 10, 2019
SWF Scholarships for IAC 2019 are Available to Young Professionals

The Secure World Foundation is now accepting applications from young professionals for scholarships to aid in traveling to present papers at this year's International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Washington, DC, USA. 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. Please note that the deadline to apply is 11:59 PM (EDT) Sunday, June 9, 2019. 

Events

Mar 29, 2019
US-China Engagement in Space 
SWF hosted a panel discussion, "US-China Engagement in Space," which brought together a group of experts to discuss how the two countries currently interact in space and think about future possibilities for engagement across commercial, civil, and national security issues. Video and audio recordings, a transcript of the discussion, and media coverage are available here.

Apr 5, 2019
SWF Participates, Sponsors the IISL Space Law Moot Competition
Space Law Advisor Chris Johnson judged three rounds on the first day of the North American Regional Rounds of the 2019 Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, held at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. This year, nineteen teams competed in the North American rounds, submitting written memorials and appearing for oral arguments before experts in international space law. The winner of this year's North American regional round is McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law, who will proceed to the World Finals this fall at the International Astronautical Congress. SWF was also a dinner sponsor for the closing dinner the following evening.

Apr 8, 2019
SWF Co-Sponsors and Participates in the 8th Space Generation Fusion Forum
SWF co-sponsored the eighth annual Space Generation Fusion Forum – a U.S. space event geared towards university students and young professionals, that took place in Colorado Springs, Colorado in conjunction with the 35th Space Symposium. This year's Fusion Forum hosted 75 competitively chosen students and young professionals from all around the world. Project Manager Josh Wolny organized and moderated a working group on Sustainability and Security. Executive Director Peter Martinez and Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden joined the group as subject-matter experts to discuss recent international space policy and security issues.

Apr 12, 2019 
SWF Co-Hosts Two Seminars at the Space Symposium
SWF was an organizer of two invite-only seminars at the Space Foundation's 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO. The first was a breakfast seminar, "What Should the U.S. Do About Space Threats?" which was sponsored by Firefly Aerospace and co-hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Space Foundation. The second was a lunch seminar, "British Innovation and Sustainability in Space," which was sponsored by the British Embassy and co-hosted by the Space Foundation and had a special drop-in speaker: Virgin Galactic's Sir Richard Branson. For more information, including media coverage, please visit the event pages for the breakfast here and the luncheon here.

Apr 23, 2019
SWF Co-Sponsors the 2019 Space Weather Workshop
The annual Space Weather Workshop took place in Boulder, Colorado and brought together domestic and international space weather researchers, modelers, operational users, and policymakers. SWF partnered with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and the conference organizers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research to host an International Networking Session highlighting the importance of international collaboration in space weather research and monitoring. Representatives from across the world attend the Space Weather Workshop to learn and present about the latest data and models for better understanding of space weather phenomena. Executive Director Peter Martinez gave a presentation on the UN Long-Term Sustainability Guidelines, and their implications for the international space weather community. Project Manager Josh Wolny also attended and helped to organize the event.

May 1, 2019
5th ORF Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue
The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) held the 5th iteration of its Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue, named in honor of the first Indian-American in space and her tragic death on the Columbia Space Shuttle. This year's Dialogue in New Delhi, India, examined the collective governance of the space commons, small satellites, women in space, India's space industry, and small satellites, among other issues. SWF was a partner in the Dialogue and SWF Washington Office Director Victoria Samson spoke on the role transparency and confidence building measure can play in space governance and moderated a panel examining issues affecting space security and stability. Read more here

Staff Activities and Presentations

Apr 2, 2019 
SWF Participates in Wilton Park Discussion on Space Norms of Behavior
Washington Office Director Victoria Samson participated and contributed to the discussions at the Wilton Park conference, "Operating in Space: Towards Developing Protocols (WP1680)." This conference discussed how norms of behavior might help stabilize some parts of the space domain, focusing on launch, debris, conjunction, and in-orbit services.

Apr 4, 2019
SWF Contributes to Discussion on Space and the SDGs
Director of Space Applications Programs Krystal Wilson participated in the Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ms. Wilson presented in a session entitled Geo4SDGs: Addressing Agenda 2030 session. This session was a platform for stakeholders to discuss the integration of geospatial data into the sustainable development agenda in a holistic manner. During the panel on “Impact of Newspace and Data Revolution on SDGs,” she discussed ideas for how the newspace community can contribute to the SDGs and what challenges might stand in the way. Her presentation can be seen here

Apr 6, 2019
Commercial Space Policy Topics Discussed at Ivy Space Coalition Conference
Director of Private Sector Programs Ian Christensen spoke as an invited panelist as part of the Space Policy and Law Panel at the 2019 Ivy Space Coalition Conference. Mr. Christensen's remarks focused on the policy issues and opportunities raised by commercial space activities. The Ivy Space Coalition Conference is a student-run conference organized by students from the Ivy League universities.

Apr 8, 2019
SWF Comments to UN Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS) Now Available Online
Space Law Advisor Chris Johnson represented SWF during the 58th Session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). SWF commentary was submitted in advanced of the meeting, in response to COPUOS questionnaires and statements delivered under agenda items 4 & 14.

Apr 11, 2019
SWF Briefs Space Rendezvous and Proximity Operations and Implications for Space Security at UNDC
Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden gave an informal presentation to members of the United Nations Disarmament Commission on the link between space rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) and space security. Dr. Weeden provides an overview of current and planned RPO activities by both commercial and governmental entities, including those to support satellite servicing, space debris removal, intelligence collection, and co-orbital ASAT testing. Dr. Weeden discussed how these activities provide challenges for space security and stability, including discriminating between peaceful and potentially hostile activities in space and developing future norms, agreements, and verification regimes to constrain irresponsible behavior. 

Apr 12, 2019
SWF Executive Director Lectures on Space Diplomacy at Baylor University
Executive Director Peter Martinez visited Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he presented a seminar on multilateral initiatives to promote space security and space sustainability. Dr. Martinez's presentation, entitled "The role of multilateral diplomacy in preserving space security and sustainability," can be downloaded here

Apr 21, 2019
Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group Continues Work on Building Blocks
Mr. Christensen and Mr. Johnson participated in a face-to-face meeting of the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group in Leiden, Netherlands. Mr. Christensen chairs the Group's SocioEconomic Panel and during the meeting delivered a report of that Panel's work. At this meeting the Working Group conducted a complete review of the 19 Draft Building Blocks for the Development of an International Framework on Space Resources Activities in anticipation of finalizing those Building Blocks in November 2019. The Group anticipates concluding work on the Building Blocks at its next meeting, to be held in Luxembourg in November 2019. 

Apr 25, 2019
SWF Testifies on U.S.-China Perspectives on International Law and Norms of Behavior in Space
Dr. Weeden testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) as part of a hearing on “China in Space: A Strategic Competition?” Dr. Weeden’s testimony discussed China’s views on space law, norms of behavior, and security-related topics such as the weaponization of space. It focused on China’s own views and interests in the multilateral space diplomacy fora, discussed whether those views conflict with the interests of the United States, and provided policy recommendations for Congress to address these issues. A video recording of the hearing and testimony from all of the participants can be found on the USCC website

Apr 25, 2019
Workshop Explores Potential for U.S.-China Dialogue on Topics Related to Space Commercialization
The Caelus Foundation, Secure World Foundation, and the Chinese Society of Astronautics collaborated to organize a half-day workshop in Changsha, China entitled "Redefining the Sino-U.S. Space Commercialization – Perspective of Global Space Community." The event focused on the potential for space commercialization related information exchange between the U.S. and China, in the form of a civil society dialogue. During the workshop, Mr. Christensen presented a keynote speech covering "Global Trends in Commercial Space Activities – Considerations for Dialogue."  A summary report will be produced by Secure World Foundation, Caelus Foundation and the Chinese Society of Astronautics and will be posted when available.

Apr 26, 2019
Norms of Behavior Discussed at United Nations/China Forum on Space Solutions: Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals
Mr. Christensen spoke as part of the RoundTable on "Bridging Gaps Between User Needs and Space Solutions: Working Towards 2030” which was held in Changsha, China as an element of the 2019 United Nations/China Forum on Space Solutions: Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mr. Christensen presentation will reviewed ongoing trends in the commercial space sector that relate to capabilities to address the SDGs and and suggested the need for a stable orbital environment to enable those contributions. It will discuss how efforts to develop and implement norms of behavior in commercial space operations can support that stability of the space environment and also discussed the role of corporate social responsibility in both supporting norms of behavior and in enhancing the corporate rationale for contributing to the SDGs within commercial space operators.

Apr 29, 2019
SWF Facilitates Discussion on Base Infrastructure Requirements for Emerging Countries
Ms. Wilson participated in the Global Conference on Space for Emerging Countries in Marrakech, Morocco. It brought together the international community, including senior representatives of the major space agencies, industry, governments, policy makers, academia and NGOs to present results, exchange ideas, debate roadmaps, and discuss the future opportunities provided by space activities to emerging nations. Ms. Wilson moderated a discussion session on base infrastructure requirements. This session features a diverse set of speakers ranging from government agencies to industry to academia and aimed to identify the base infrastructure required for operationalizing efficient and effective national space programs and appreciate how to develop the appropriate skills and expertise required for the efficient operations of space infrastructure. It included a keynote address by Pilar Zamora, Executive Director, Colombian Space Agency.

Publications

Apr 4, 2019
SWF Releases 2019 Report on Global Counterspace Capabilities
SWF released the 2019 edition of our annual Global Counterspace Capabilities Report that provides an in-depth assessment of counterspace and anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities being developing around the world. The report is a compilation of publicly available information for various countries developing counterspace capabilities across several categories: direct ascent, co-orbital, directed energy, electronic warfare, and cyber. The analysis is intended to provide a holistic picture of each country’s counterspace programs and how those capabilities may be used.

We hope these reports will increase public knowledge of these issues, the willingness of policymakers to discuss these issues openly, and involvement of other stakeholders in the debate over the potential for conflict in space. The SWF report and a download link can be found here.

Apr 8, 2019

The Impact of India's ASAT Test on Norms of Behavior for Space
Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden and Washington Office Director Victoria Samson published a new op-ed summarizing India's March 2019 anti-satellite (ASAT) test and what impact it's likely like to have on norms of behavior for space. Dr. Weeden and Ms. Samson describe how the Indian ASAT test was more akin to the United States' February 2008 intercept of USA 193 than China's January 2007 ASAT test and did not generate a huge amount of long-lived orbital debris. However, the Indian ASAT test still did generate some orbital debris that is likely to pose a threat to the International Space Station or other satellites in low Earth orbit for weeks or months to come. More worryingly, the Indian ASAT test, and the lack of any significant criticism from other countries, appears to further reinforce the norm that such testing is okay as long as steps are taken to try and minimize orbital debris. Dr. Weeden and Ms. Samson finish by discussing what steps the international community, including the private sector, can take to enhance space sustainability and encourage more responsible behavior in space.

Experts in the Media

Apr 4, 2019
New studies provide fresh insights into the escalating space arms race
SWF Counterspace Report cited in Space News article.

Apr 5, 2019
India's Anti-Satellite Missile Test Left A Cloud Of Debris And Tension In Its Wake
Brian Weeden quoted by Forbes on the Indian ASAT test and dangers of conflict in space.

Apr 8, 2019
U.S. Government Looks to Mitigate Space Congestion
Dr. Weeden quoted by National Defense Magazine on developing industry standards for debris removal.

Apr 8, 2019
The chicken-and-egg debate about new threats in space
Victoria Samson and Dr. Weeden quoted by C4ISRNet about the proliferation of counterspace threats.

Apr 8, 2019
What About JMS? Air Force Reanimates ‘Old Clunker’ Space Tracking System
Dr. Weeden quoted by Breaking Defense on the Air Force's continued failures to upgrade its SSA computer systems.

Apr 8, 2019

New opportunities emerging for U.S.-China space cooperation
Dr. Weeden quoted by SpaceNews on the prospects for future U.S.-China Cooperation in space.

Apr 10, 2019
The Stellar Dance: US, Russia Satellites Make Potentially Risky Close Approaches
Dr. Weeden quoted by Breaking Defense on U.S., Russian, and Chinese satellites making close approaches in GEO

Apr 11, 2019
Air Force Sec Says US May Demo New Space Weapon To Deter
Dr. Weeden quoted by Breaking Defense with concerns about a possible U.S. offensive space demonstration.

Apr 16, 2019
AstroEsq: Episode 8 - Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson interviewed for the AstroEsq Podcast on the sustainable use of outer space and careers in the space sector.

Apr 16, 2019
What in the World? #30: Space Force: Out of This World of The Future of Global Engagement?
Ms. Samson and Krystal Wilson discuss space security, the value of space technology, and the Space Force on What in the World? Podcast.

Apr 30, 2019
Mission Shakti: No Surprise in India's ASAT, Satellite Killer Test: Victoria Samson
Ms. Samson interviewed by Pallava Bagla of NDTV for a segment on India's ASAT test.

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