SPI faculty Dr. John Klein was published in Breaking Defense. His article shares insights from his newest book “The Fight for the Final Frontier: Irregular Warfare in Space.”
Author: adam.stegall
SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, Published in Space Policy, Offers U.S. Perspective on Deterrence and Geopolitics in Space
SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, was published in the journal Space Policy. His article “A U.S. Perspective on Deterrence and Geopolitics in Space” delves into how theories of deterrence and geopolitics are used to safeguard national interests in space, and points out that despite their frequent application in U.S. policy, these theories are often misunderstood or misapplied.
He highlights the challenge of deterrence posed by China’s burgeoning space capabilities, and the increasing use of commercial space assets for military purposes.
Dr. Pace also critically examines the various interpretations of geopolitics in space, including theories posited by Everett C. Dolman, Daniel Deudney, and former SPI Visiting Scholar Bleddyn Bowen. He accentuates that while deterrence and geopolitics are instrumental in space cooperation and competition, their applications are grounded in terrestrial concerns.
He concludes with a call for further research into these theories’ applications to encourage both cooperation and competition in space.
SPI Faculty Dr. John Klein Quoted in SpaceNews Article
SPI faculty member Dr. John Klein was quoted in a SpaceNews article about the U.S. Space Force’s focus on resiliency in their latest budget.
This reflects Space Force’s competitive endurance strategy, and the recognition of a persistent technological competition with China in space, as other adversaries develop asymmetrical capabilities.
The piece analyzes how resiliency is being incorporated into the tenets of this strategy to ensure access to satellite services for U.S. military forces and allies.
“What is new is that the U.S. Space Force more specifically recognizes resilience as part of deterrence. It’s deterrence by denial of benefits. It’s telling enemies that no matter what you do, it’s not going to matter. You’re not going to stop me.”
Dr. John Klein
SPI Faculty Dr. John Klein Quoted in Breaking Defense Article
SPI faculty member Dr. John Klein was quoted in a Breaking Defense article regarding how General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations of the United States Space Force, seeks to expand the service’s mindset to defending the Joint Force across multiple domains from space-enabled attacks.
New adversarial capabilities in space that threaten terrestrial domains have justified this shift beyond protecting interests in space, and the Space Force must consider offensive capabilities to counter them.
Dr. Klein discussed how this recognition is influencing the development of the Space Force’s doctrine, and how it clarifies the need to update Joint Doctrine with current space operational thinking.
“To me, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, because the land, sea, and air domains have readily acknowledged the need to have both defensive and offensive approaches, strategies, and operations. Because space is not special, just wonderfully different, the idea of including defensive and offensive thinking makes strategic sense.”
Dr. John Klein
SPI Visiting Scholar, Commander Jaehong Chun, Published in Republic of Korea Navy Magazine
Commander Jaehong Chun, an SPI Visiting Scholar from the Republic of Korea Navy, was featured in the Republic of Korea Navy Magazine regarding his work at SPI. The article can be accessed here and begins on page 12.
Dr. Yaofu Zhou, Recent SPI Alumni, Interviewed in Local TV Program
Dr. Yaofu Zhou, recent SPI alumni, was interviewed by Liam Lobl for a local cable TV program in New York. Liam is a young space enthusiast, and his show focuses on space policy and space sector advancements in partnership with Mayor Paul Feiner.
Their discussion focuses on space as a global commons, and explores pertinent issues and potential policies within this context.
Liam Lobl is a high school junior in the greater New York City area that is fascinated with space law and policy. He works to educate others about the space sector, and is seeking to make future impacts as a member of the space community. He was first drawn into the field through a series of Lincoln Douglas Debate competitions, focusing on the role of private entities in outer space. Ever since, he has become fascinated by the way we can use policy and philosophical concepts to create change for a better, more sustainable future.
Dr. Zhou earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Illinois Institute of Technology, where he participated in particle physics experiments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins University in 2019 with his focus on the numerical simulations for the Large Hadron Collider experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Prior to the graduate program at GWU, Yaofu was a visiting scholar at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, researching international collaboration of big-science projects. Yaofu is a space and aviation enthusiast. He holds a certificate of airplane private pilot and is under active training for instrument rating and commercial certificate. At GWU, Yaofu joined the research group of Prof. Peng Wei from the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, which works on autonomy in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Traffic Management for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UTM) with government and industrial partners.
Dr. Aaron Bateman Interviewed by RUSI’s War In Space Podcast – Discusses Strategic Defense Initiative
Dr. Aaron Bateman, SPI faculty, was interviewed by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for their War in Space podcast. RUSI is the world’s oldest and the United Kingdom’s leading defense and security think tank.
They discuss the Strategic Defense Initiative, how ideation of space-based missile defense developed, Cold War earth observation, and Anglo-American relations in these contexts.
SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, Published in Space Policy, Examines Theories of International Relations Applied to Space Policy
SPI director, Dr. Scott Pace, was published in the journal Space Policy.
His article U.S. Space Policy and Theories of International Relations: The Case for Analytical Eclecticism, examines the gap between space policy and applied international relations theories, and seeks to address it.
China and Strategic Stability in Space: Pathways to Peace in an Era of US-China Strategic Competition
In recent years, U.S.-China competition has intensified in outer space. U.S.-China competition above the Earth echoes many of the same tensions we see down here but carries unique risks. Nuclear entanglement, direct-ascent anti-satellite testing and the deployment of large and very large satellite constellations are among the most urgent drivers of instability. Amid the current strains in the overall U.S.-China relationship, coordinating action on these issues will be far from easy to achieve. Nevertheless, there is a path forward that can lead us toward a more stable and peaceful space environment.
Join USIP for a discussion on strategic competition between the United States and China in space. The conversation will feature the lead author of a forthcoming USIP report on the topic, as well as space scholars and experts from the U.S. government, as they explore how best tackle these complex challenges.
Speakers
Bruce MacDonald
Adjunct Professor, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University; Lead Author, “China and Strategic Instability in Space: Pathways to Peace in an Era of U.S.-China Strategic Competition”
Carla Freeman
Senior Expert, U.S. Institute of Peace; Report Author, “China and Strategic Instability in Space: Pathways to Peace in an Era of U.S.-China Strategic Competition”
Bhavya Lal
Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, NASA
Victoria Samson
Washington Office Director, Secure World Foundation
Scott Pace, moderator
Director, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University
SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, Quoted in The Japan Times Article Examining U.S.-Japan Space Alliance
SPI director, Dr. Scott Pace, was quoted in an article in The Japan Times regarding the U.S.-Japan space alliance.
The article examines the framework agreement signed January 13, 2023. The pact is the product of a decade of negotiations and deepens U.S.-Japan space relations, augments collaboration efforts, and streamlines the processes for future negotiations. The alliance provides a bedrock for cooperation beyond low-Earth orbit, and builds upon decades of mutually beneficial space partnerships.
The Japan Times piece analyzes this relationship, provides context for the agreement, and considers future implications.
“Rather than negotiating separate international agreements for each case of space cooperation, the framework provides an ‘umbrella’ structure under which specific, technical implementing agreements can be created.”
Dr. Scott Pace
