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SWF November 2018 Newsletter
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Upcoming Events
Nov 8, 2018
Global Satellite Servicing Forum (Webcast)

Nov 13-Nov 15, 2018
2018 CODER Workshop

Nov 27, 2018
IFRI Space Security Conference

Upcoming Engagements
Nov 6, 2018
Chris Johnson will speak on a space debris panel at the 2018 Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum in Singapore

Nov 5-Nov 7, 2018
Peter Martinez will speak at the 7th African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in Abuja, Nigeria

Nov 10-Nov 12, 2018
Brian Weeden will participate in the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2018 in Dubai, UAE

Nov 12-Nov 13, 2018
Tiffany Chow will attend the Paris Peace Forum in Paris, France

Nov 13-Nov 16, 2018
Michael Simpson will attend the UN High Level Forum in Bonn, Germany

Nov 15, 2018
Krystal Wilson will speak at Cybersat18 in Arlington, Virginia

Nov 19-Nov 21, 2018
Krystal Wilson will participate in the UN World Geospatial Information Congress in Deqing, China 

Nov 27-Nov 28, 2018
Michael Simpson and Ian Christensen will participate in the NewSpace Europe Conference in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Nov 29-Nov 30, 2018
Ian Christensen, Michael Simpson, and Chris Johnson will participate in the Hague Space Resources Governance Working Group in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
 

Secure World Foundation Newsletter

November 2018

Insight - Space Situational Awareness and Commercial Rendezvous and Proximity Operations

By Brian Weeden, Director of Program Planning, and Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director

The next major step in space applications, market creation, and robotic and human exploration is potentially being created through the advent of on-orbit satellite servicing (OOS). The ability to approach, grasp, manipulate, modify, repair, refuel, integrate, and build completely new platforms and spacecraft on orbit is underway through new OOS vehicles and experiments. A closely related field, on-orbit rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) that are part of many servicing activities, is also being actively explored by commercial firms, civil government organizations, and militaries for a wide variety of applications.

While commercial RPO and OOS services hold great promise, the development and use of these capabilities also creates challenges for government oversight of private sector space activities and ensuring RPO and OOS are done in a safe and responsible manner. Under Article VI of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, States have the responsibility to provide authorization and continuing supervision of their private sector entities’ space activities...continue reading.

Events

Oct 5, 2018
SWF Staff Contribute to 69th International Astronautical Congress
SWF staff were active participants in the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany. Executive Director Peter Martinez gave a presentation on the UN COPUOS space sustainability guidelines. Staff attended numerous committee meetings and presented papers on issues as varied as the Moon Village, the role of NGOs in developing space policy, the relationship between corporate social responsibility and principles for responsible space operations, the relationship between space insurance and responsible behavior, developing standards for on-orbit servicing and rendezvous and proximity operations, the role of policy in using citizen science for Earth observation, policy and legal issues related to on-orbit servicing, and encouraging change in military space technology.

Oct 16, 2018
SWF Supports the 9th Asia/Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users' Conference
SWF partnered with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) by facilitating the presence of a broadly representative team of professionals from several Oceania countries. Over 230 participants from 44 countries attended and participated in the 9th Asia/Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users' Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia. Consistent with SWF’s efforts to apply principles of cooperative governance to space and space-based applications, the meeting sought to define meteorological user needs in the region, support development of an integrated operational distribution system to meet them, advance satellite remote sensing science, and engage young scientists.

Oct 18, 2018
SWF Co-Hosts Event on Space Technology Supporting Local Communities
In partnership with the Centre for Innovation, Development and Society and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, SWF sponsored a panel on Earth observation data, climate change, and African women farmers. By focusing on one specific user group, the discussion was able to more fully explore how to use Earth observation data more widely and effectively so farmers can make climate-smart decision and ensure food security in the coming years. Speakers from NASA, USAID’s GeoCenter, and Kenya’s International Center for Tropical Agriculture talked about their organizations current work in this area and how can we maximize the benefits of space technology and data.

Nov 1, 2018
Summary Report From the 2018 AMOS Dialogue in Maui on SSA and Satellite Servicing
SWF co-hosted a discussion on the links between space situational awareness (SSA) and commercial rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) and on-orbit satellite servicing (OOS). This was held at the sixth annual AMOS Dialogue, a small, invitation-only workshop co-hosted by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and SWF during the 2018 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. The Dialogue participants examined the new RPO technologies and capabilities being developed to support commercial OOS, and how they impact current SSA capabilities and practices. The final report is available here

Staff Activities and Presentations

Oct 10, 2018
SWF Participates in Discussion on the Future of Space Situational Awareness at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Washington Office Director Victoria Samson gave a presentation on "International Collaboration and Norms Addressing Space Situational Awareness and Space Traffic Management" at a panel discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the United States' role in space situational awareness. She spoke about challenges the U.S. military has had in sharing data, highlighted interest internationally in contributing toward a global SSA capability, and pointed out upcoming disruptions like the advent of mega-constellations. A video of the panel is available here

Oct 11, 2018
Norms of Behavior for Responsible Space Operations Discussed at International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight
Director of Private Sector Programs Ian Christensen gave a Spotlight Address entitled "Responding to The Changing Nature of Space Actors" at the 14th Annual International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS), which was held in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mr. Christensen's remarks discussed the increasing importance of norms of behavior as a key element of space governance in a increasingly complex space sector and highlighted SWF's role in contributing to a number of ongoing initiatives to develop such norms and guidelines. SWF was a sponsor of ISPCS 2018.

Oct 21, 2018
SWF Contributes to Debate about the Pros and Cons of a Separate Space Force
Director of Program Planning Brian Weeden participated in a panel discussion on the pros and cons of establishing a Space Force as a separate branch of the U.S. military at the 2018 Politicon in Los Angeles, California. The panel discussed the current trends and issues in the space domain that are driving the discussion about a separate Space Force, including the challenges of the existing organizational structures, the natural environmental threats and counterspace threats to space capabilities, and the burgeoning commercial space sector. Dr. Weeden provided a skeptical assessment of the ability the successfully create a separate Space Force without creating additional problems, and offered a separate Space Corps within the U.S. Air Force as an alternative. 


Oct 22, 2018
SWF Experts Participate in Launch of Space Security Index 2018 
Executive Director Peter Martinez spoke on current issues and challenges in space diplomacy at the Space Security Index side event at the United Nations General Assembly First Committee at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event, titled “Security Beyond Earth,” was a celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the Space Security Index. In his remarks, Dr. Martinez presented the background to the development of the Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) of Outer Space Activities in COPUOS as a technically-based, bottom-up approach that could complement the more politically-based top-down approaches to space security, such as Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs) and codes of conduct. Space Law Advisor Chris Johnson was also on hand in New York for the UNGA’s First and Fourth Committees in its annual thematic discussions on space.

Nov 1, 2018
SWF Contributes to the 12th International Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment
Director of Space Applications Programs Krystal Wilson participated in the 12th International Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment in Alexandria, Egypt. This Association seeks to increase the awareness of African governments and their institutions, the private sector and society at large, about the empowering and enhancing benefits of developing, applying and responsibly utilizing the products and services of Earth observation systems and geo-information technology. The main objective of conference was to bring together scholars and professionals from the African and international community to present latest achievements, discuss challenges and share experiences. Ms. Wilson gave a plenary presentation on “Policy Considerations for Remote Sensing in Africa.” 

Experts in the Media

Oct 1, 2018
Norge kan bli dratt inn i en stjernekrig
Victoria Samson quoted by NRK Finnmark on U.S. military payloads being placed on other countries' satellites.

Oct 12, 2018
U.S., Russian solidarity after launch safely aborted
SWF experts quoted in Politico Space about the role of the commercial sector in shaping norms.

Oct 21, 2018
Dr. Brian Weeden Discusses Space Force
Brian Weeden interviewed by the Center for Progressive Urban Politics on the Space Force.

Oct 24, 2018
What Trump's proposed Space Force means for Canada
Brian Weeden quoted by Politico on the implications of the Space Force debate for Canada.

Nov 1, 2018
#SpaceWatchGL Interviews: A Fond Farewell From Michael Simpson Of The Secure World Foundation
Michael Simpson interviewed by SpaceWatchGL on his time at SWF, future challenges, and messages for the next generation.

Announcement

Oct 12, 2018
SWF's Krystal Wilson Identified as a Future Leader to Watch
During the Satellite Innovation 2018 event in Mountainview, California, the Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) announced the first “20 Under 35” list of space professionals from all across the space sector to watch over the coming years. Krystal Wilson, Director of Space Applications Programs, was selected as one of twenty employees and entrepreneurs. SSPI members submitted nominations coming from numerous nations and disciplines.

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