SPI Attends International Astronautical Congress 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan

SPI was well represented at the 74th International Astronautical Congress, which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The IAC is the premier annual event where global space actors gather, and attracts more than 6,000 participants each year, representing a myriad of space sectors and topics. The IAC offers the latest developments in academia and industry, and provides opportunities for exchanging ideas, networking, and potential partnerships.

SPI Director Dr. Scott Pace presented his paper “Global Space Futures — 2050” at the 36th International Academy of Astronautics Symposium on Space Policy, Regulations and Economics. You can read his paper below from the file uploaded to this page.

SPI Professor Dr. Henry Hertzfeld was recognized by the International Institute of Space Law with a certificate of appreciation for his service, and co-chaired “Space Economy Session – A focus on in-space operations and their potential to stimulate economic development” as well as “Cost and Procurement impacts on Space Programmes linked to high inflation
and world-wide scarcity of components and materials.”

SPI Research Professor Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund was a speaker for the “Space for Emerging Ecosystems – Emerging Ecosystems for Space” section.

SPI MA alum and current GW PhD student Andrew Garza presented his paper “Engagement and Communication of the Space Sustainability Rating.”

Many SPI alumni attended as well, including Associate Professor Dr. Mariel Borowitz of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Angela Peura who works with NASA SCaN, and Faud Guliyev who lives in Baku.



SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, Co-Authors Report on Solar System Internet Architecture and Governance

SPI Director Dr. Scott Pace co-authored a report for the Interplanetary Networking Special Interest Group (IPNSIG) of the Internet Society (ISOC), with an esteemed group of scholars and leaders, including Dr. Vinton Cerf of Google and Dr. Jim Green of NASA.

IPNSIG’s mission is to realize a functional and scalable system of interplanetary data communications, and their report, “Solar System Internet Architecture and Governance,” examines the governance properties and structures necessary to form a common and shared solar system internet, along with the key technologies that will drive this endeavor.

The report is available in full in the file below.


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.

Space Policy Journal

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.

Space Policy journal

SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, Published in Journal of Space Safety Engineering — Examines Possible Futures for Crewed Space Station Cooperation

SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, was published in the Journal of Space Safety Engineering, a quarterly publication of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS).

His article, Alternative Futures for Crewed Space Cooperation After the International Space Station, considers the centrality of the International Space Station (ISS) in international human spaceflight cooperation, its diminishing technical viability, and prospective futures for crewed operations.

These alternatives include extending the ISS, participating in the Chinese Space Station, creating multiple smaller government and private platforms for human habitation, focusing on human missions to the Moon and Mars, or ceasing participation in human space exploration altogether.

Dr. Pace’s article evaluates the feasibility and attractiveness of these options for spacefaring states, and identifies the key technical, economic, and policy uncertainties that are likely to shape the future of human space exploration after the ISS.

Journal of Space Safety Engineering Cover