At the Elliott School of International Affairs
SPI student Elizabeth Anderson was published in the Q3 edition of The Space Report 2022. Her article, Nation in Review: Bahrain, examines Bahrain’s ambitious space policy strategy in the context of Middle Eastern competition and regional partnerships.
The full Q3 edition of The Space Report 2022 is available here, and you can read a free version of her article below.
SPI congratulates Ms. Anderson on her first independent writing credit!
SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, led a panel at Ascend 2022 titled Public-Private Partnerships: An Ongoing Evolution.
Panelists included Chad Anderson of Space Capital, Joel Graham of Meeks, Butera & Israel PLLC, Rich Leshner of BryceTech, Eric Stallmer of Voyager Space, and Vanessa Wyche of NASA Johnson Space Center.
They discussed efficiencies to be gained by transitioning traditionally government-led programs to commercial services, and plans to create markets and expectations to achieve future savings.
A recording of the panel discussion is available here (registration required.)
Thu, November 17, 2022, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EST
Elliott School of International Affairs (and online) 1957 E Street Northwest Room 505 (5th Floor) Washington, DC 20052
About the Book
Space technology was developed to enhance the killing power of the state. The Moon landings and the launch of the Space Shuttle were mere sideshows, drawing public attention away from the real goal: military and economic control of space as a source of power on Earth. Today, as Bleddyn E. Bowen vividly recounts, thousands of satellites work silently in the background to provide essential military, intelligence and economic capabilities. No major power can do without them. Beyond Washington, Moscow and Beijing, truly global technologies have evolved, from the ground floor of the nuclear missile revolution to today’s orbital battlefield, shaping the wars to come. World powers including India, Japan and Europe are fully realizing the strategic benefits of commanding Earth’s ‘cosmic coastline’, as a stage for war, development and prestige.
Yet, as new contenders spend more and more on outer space, there is scope for cautious optimism about the future of the Space Age—if we can recognize, rather than hide, its original sin.
About the Author
Dr. Bleddyn Bowen is an expert in space policy and international relations in outer space. He has published research on strategic thinking and outer space, UK and EU space policy, UK and US military space doctrines, and the politics of orbital debris. Based on the classic works of military theory, his research challenges prevailing thought in military and civilian space communities and offers practical policy relevant insights for the space sector at the intersection of politics, military power, security, and technology.
Building on his expertise in the politics of outer space and the impact of space technologies on warfare, national security, and international relations, Dr. Bowen has published several journal articles and a monograph on the military, security, and political dimensions of outer space. His expertise encompasses military and intelligence space activities, governance issues in outer space, space arms control, and the international political dimensions of space exploration.
Wed, November 16, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EST
Elliott School of International Affairs (and online)
1957 E Street Northwest Lindner Commons (Room 602, 6th Floor) Washington, DC 20052
About the Event
Black holes are the most bizarre and extreme objects in the Universe, defying our understanding of known physical laws. Exploring this frontier has been a quest of astrophysics for decades. The Event Horizon Telescope project recently captured direct images of black holes and their environments with an Earth-sized telescope, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This effort required breakthroughs in instruments, computer models, and global organization. Dr. Ozel will describe this journey into the unknown, sharing the path to the development of the project and the resulting scientific advances.
About the Speaker
Dr. Feryal Ozel is Chair and Professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech. Prior to this role, she was a Professor of Astronomy and Physics and Associate Dean for research at the University of Arizona. Dr. Ozel received her BS summa cum laude in physics and applied mathematics from Columbia University, her MS from the Niels Bohr Institute and her PhD from Harvard University in astrophysics in 2002. She was a NASA Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow and Member at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton until 2004.
Dr. Ozel is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and was elected to the Science Academy of Turkey. In recognition of her work, Dr. Ozel was awarded the Maria Goeppert Mayer award from the American Physical Society, the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard University, a Miller Institute Visiting Professorship from UC Berkeley, and, with the EHT collaboration, the Breakthrough Prize, the Rossi Prize of the American Astronomical Society, a Diamond Achievement award from the National Science Foundation, and recognized with the distinction of Breakthrough of the Year by Science. She was co-chair of NASA’s Next Generation Mission Concept Study for the Lynx X-ray Observatory and has served for three years as chair of NASA’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee. As a founding member of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, she served on the EHT Science Council since 2016 and was lead of the Modeling Working Group for three years.
SPI student Benjamin Staats was published in Astropolitics — The International Journal of Space Politics & Policy.
His article, Mitigating Security Risks and Potential Threats of Emerging Rendezvous and Proximity Operations, thoughtfully explores the hazards associated with increased peaceful space activities and the need to develop commensurate policies.
He examines regulating behavior and registration practices, expanding the space situational awareness network to partners, declassifying data to increase transparency, improving communication, and the need for a space assurance strategy with credible deterrence options.
Dr. Aaron Bateman, SPI faculty, was interviewed by Gizmodo for an article examining the increasing importance of the Space Force, the duties it performs, and public perceptions of its mission.
They discussed ASAT tests, space debris, and the operational roles of Space Force and Space Command. They also analyzed issues regarding Space Force’s relationship with the private sector, and Space Force’s public relations strategies.
“If you create debris in orbit, you ruin it for yourself as well.”
Dr. Aaron Bateman for Gizmodo
“With the Biden administration’s decision to forgo such weapons, the nation can ‘keep the diplomatic highground,’ he said, saying it’s ‘important for the United States to maintain this posture,’ that of ‘not procuring dedicated kinetic counter-space systems.’ The U.S. is more dependent on space than Russia and China, and it’s through the acquisition of ASAT capabilities that America’s rivals are seeking to level the playing field, Bateman explained.
Dr. Aaron Bateman for Gizmodo
A “simple message” is required, said Bateman, one that “better encapsulates what Space Force is doing to a larger audience.”
Dr. Aaron Bateman for Gizmodo
SPI director, Dr. Scott Pace, was interviewed for the Space Café Radio podcast by Dr. Emma Gatti, Editor-in-Chief of SpaceWatch.Global and host of Space Café Italy.
They spoke during the PSSI Space Security Conference in Prague last June, and discussed the Artemis Program, NATO, Ukraine, and the role of Europe as an ally and a new space security force.
Highlights from the interview include:
0:00 Introduction
1:18 Strengthening partnerships between allies
4:14 EU attitudes towards Space defense
5:17 Strengthening NATO via the Union
6:57 Is Europe too focused inwards?
8:42 EU Sovereignty: a threat or a welcomed step?
11:25 US weaknesses
Third year GW Law student Evan Matsuda was selected as Best Oral Advocate at the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court World Championship in Paris, France. Evan and his teammate, third year Jonathan Clark, were finalists in the competition, finishing second.
The team was coached by Professor Henry Hertzfeld, Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs in the Space Policy Institute at the Elliott School of International Affairs. This is the fifth time Professor Hertzfeld has coached a team to the World Championship.
Both Tom McMurry, NASA Deputy General Counsel, and another international lawyer were present at the event and did a practice moot with the team before the Final Round. They were very impressed and promised an event at NASA to celebrate the great performance.
Congratulations to all!
“The bench was extremely hot and began asking tough questions even before anyone could get a full sentence out. Our team did exceptionally well.”
Professor Hertzfeld
Space Policy Institute faculty, visiting scholars, and alumni met in Paris, France during the 2022 International Astronautical Congress.
The IAC is the world’s premier global space event, and has been held annually since 1950.
The IAC provides the latest developments in academia, industry, and policy, as well as a multitude of networking opportunities.
6,500 people attended from around the globe, and SPI was proud to see so many alumni and visiting scholars in attendance.
SPI thanks Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) for hosting the 2022 IAC, and congratulates them on a successful event.
SPI looks forward to next year’s event in Baku, Azerbaijan, and hopes to see you there!
Dr. Aaron Bateman was interviewed by the Associated Press for an article examining the foreign policy implications of NASA’s Artemis program. The article analyzes the accelerating space race between the United States, China, and their respective partners.
Read more from the Associated Press
“Space is going to be an arena of competition on the prestige front, demonstrating advanced technical expertise and know-how, and then also on the military front as well.”
Dr. Aaron Bateman for the Associated Press
“People who are supportive of Artemis and people who see it as a tool of competition, they want the United States to be at the table in shaping the future of exploration on other celestial bodies.”
Dr. Aaron Bateman for the Associated Press
“I don’t think it’s at all by coincidence or happenstance that it is now in this period of what people are claiming is renewed great-power competition that the United States is actually investing the resources to go back. Time will tell if this turns into a sustained program.”
Dr. Aaron Bateman for the Associated Press
