Book Launch Event (July 15, 10:30am-1:00pm): “CONTESTED SPACE: ENSURING EFFECTIVE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE CAPABILITIES IN AN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT”

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The  Moorman Center for Space Studies, the independent think tank within the National Security Space Association, and Space Policy Institute is pleased to announce a book launch event about the publication of a timely new book entitled, CONTESTED SPACE: ENSURING EFFECTIVE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE CAPABILITIES IN AN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT.

  • Tuesday, July 15 10:30am – 1:00pm EST
  • Location: Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E St NW suite 602

According to Christopher Williams (Vice President and Chair of the NSSA Moorman Center for Space Studies), “Given the serious challenges to the established international order posed by the Axis of Authoritarians, now is the time to rapidly modernize U.S. national security space policy, strategy, organizations, and capabilities.  This book is chock full of actionable recommendations for the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress on how to better posture the U.S. national security space enterprise to assure U.S. space dominance in the face of increasingly sophisticated threats to critical U.S. space systems.”

Copies of the book will be provided at the event and also available on the NSSA website after the event. Chapter titles include …

  • Key U.S. National Security Space Policy and Strategy Issues
  • Space Domain Rules of Engagement and International Law
  • Space Weapons, Diplomacy, and Arms Control: History, Issues and Prospects
  • Enhancing Defense and Intelligence Space Cooperation
  • U.S. Government Efforts to Leverage Commercial and International Space Capabilities
  • The U.S. National Security Space Enterprise’s Preparedness for Deterring or Prevailing in a Conflict With the People’s Republic of China”.

Please register from HERE

This event will be hybrid. The webinar LINK will be provided in the registration confirmation email.

Release of the Space Security Webinar eBook by former SPI Visiting Scholar, Bruno Martini

We are pleased to inform the publication of the eBook compiling the proceedings of the International Webinar on Space Security, held on August 6, 2024, and organized by the Brazilian Air Force University (UNIFA), through its Center for Strategic Studies (CEE) and the Laboratory of Simulation and Prospective Scenarios (LSC).

This initiative was developed by Bruno Martini (former SPI Visiting Scholar), and the eBook features chapters authored by two SPI faculty members, Dr. John Klein and Dr. Peter Hays.

The publication addresses key topics such as defense, sustainability, strategic competition, and international cooperation in outer space—reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the dialogue fostered during the webinar.

You can find the eBook HERE

Bruno Martini
Oceanographer and Master in Coastal and Oceanic Systems Dynamics from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil. Ph.D. Candidate in Aerospace Sciences at the Brazilian Air Force University (UNIFA).

International Cooperation in Deep Space Exploration : Expert Conference Report

The International Space University recently published the report following the Expert Conference on International Cooperation in Deep Space Exploration, hosted by the Space Policy Institute on 3-5 December 2024.

This Expert Conference was generously funded by The John Templeton Foundation and forms part of Grant #62772 The Future of International Cooperation in Deep Space Exploration.

The purpose of this Expert Conference was to facilitate a multi-stakeholder dialogue about the future of exploration in deep space. The conference satisfied a desire for more conversations around ethics, national and environmental security, and the integration of emerging space countries into the conversation, as well as international cooperation, space diplomacy and policy issues relating to space exploration.

You can find the full report available in the ISU library here.

SPI members in the 8th Prague Space Security Conference (PSSI, 15-17 June 2025)

The 8th Prague Space Security Conference was held in Prague, Czech Republic, hosted by the Prague Space Security Institute (PSSI)

Members of SPI faculty and SPI Alumni gathered in the event.

Dr. Scott Pace and Jun Kazeki (Director General, National Space Policy Secretariat, Japan) discusses US-Japan cooperation and Japan’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific in a fireside chat.
Dr. Scott Pace
Group photo of Speakers and Sponsors
Prof. Peter Hays moderates panel on “Updates on Space Domain Awareness and Threat Mitigation”
Deganit Paikowsky (SPI non-resident Scholar), moderated a panel “Securities Dimensions of Burgeoning Space Economy”
Jana Robinson (M.A. GWU/ESIA), Managing Director, PSSI was awarded the Medal for Contribution to Diplomacy, awarded by the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Peter Marquez (M.A. GWU/ESIA) of AWS joins panel “What is to be done?- Public Sector Leadership”

SPI Visiting Scholar, Sarah C.G. Dunn’s article was published in the ETH Zurich’s Russian Analytical Digest

Sarah analyses Russia’s diverse set of ASAT capabilities in her article.

Abstract
The Russian Federation’s Nudol ground-based anti-satellite system is part of a larger effort to modernize military space capabilities, with implications for the development of missile defence systems. Aerospace defence
and the role of space in warfare, topics frequently discussed by the Soviet military, have resurfaced as key
focuses following the growth of perceived external threats and on the basis of internal assessments. Nudol’s
connections to Soviet systems, expertise, and organizations reflect Russia’s preexisting capacity for military
space development, but are also an indication of economic and technological challenges. The capabilities
and limitations of Nudol, alongside Russian military commentary on aerospace defence, suggest that the
system may serve as an element of a multi-tier system of missile defence, as a negotiating tool, as a symbol
of prestige, and as a deterrent.

Please find the article HERE

[Recordings Posted] Aerospace Corporation and the SPI presents a symposium on Emerging Challenges and Opportunities for Civil and Commercial Uses of GPS : May 27, 2025


Thank you for joining the event.

Please enjoy the recordings from this LINK, or the Thumbnail below.


A discussion of the current state and future evolution of the global positioning, navigation, and timing services.

Please find the complete program here.

Please register here

Watch the Live Stream here

Recordings will be provided after the event.

2025 Thacher Prize Winners Announced

Congratulations to winners of the 2025 Thacher Prize for Outstanding Publication in Space Policy

Elif Yüksel and Sarah Salem shared first prize for their co-written paper: “A Comprehensive Study of U.S. and Chinese Space Diplomacy and Engagements with Emerging Nations: CASE STUDY of TÜRKİYE and United Arab Emirates”.


Dohyeong “Do” Kim won second place for his paper: “Concerning the Mineral Exploitation of HERMONIA and Related Incidents: A space LAW MOOT COURT case.”


Ryan Puleo won third prize for his co-authored paper: “Charting the Spacescape: Analyzing Partnerships and Networks in the Space Industry.”


The Thacher Prize for Outstanding Student Publications in Space Policy is awarded annually to graduate students who have researched and written papers of exceptional merit on space policy, with up to $4,000 Prize for an individual or team, published or submitted works.