Today, there are numerous emerging challenges in space that raise a wide spectrum of threats, from undermining the long-term sustainability of human space activities to causing an escalation among nuclear powers.
As such, world leaders, industry experts, academia and even celebrities are all adding their voices to the discussions on space safety and security. However, many of the different space communities do not often speak beyond their own niches. Indeed, even at the UN, safety and security issues are clearly demarcated, with unique competencies assigned to specific bodies.
Yet as the world has seen over the last few years, space activities and the challenges they bring cut across many boundaries. Solving them will require cooperation and coordination among all the different space communities and beyond.
Join the Space Court Foundation for a detailed discussion on the impact of silos among the space community and how the disparate communities might come together to develop a responsive governance framework for space.
A big shout out thank you to our Partner Open Lunar for its support! Open Lunar will sponsor the video series for 2021
moderator
THERESA HITCHENS
Theresa Hitchens is the Space and Air Force reporter at Breaking Defense. The former Defense News editor was a senior research associate at the University of Maryland’s Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM). Before that, she spent six years in Geneva, Switzerland as director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
speakers
ANDRE RYPL
Andre Rypl is a Diplomat at the Mission of Brazil to the International Organizations in Vienna. As a career diplomat, he participated in a number of negotiations such as the guidelines on the long term sustainability of outer space activities and the COPUOS Space 2030 Agenda. He also participates as a speaker on a range of different topics, including TCBMs and the role of international cooperation in fostering the peaceful uses of outer space. He is the chair of the 62th session of COPUOS (2019). Andre Rypl is participating in a personal capacity.
DR. PETER MARTINEZ
Dr. Peter Martinez is the Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation. He has extensive experience in multilateral space diplomacy, space policy formulation and space regulation. Prior to joining SWF, from 2011 - 2018 he chaired the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. He is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Institute of Space Law, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and an Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town. He has authored or co-authored over 200 publications on topics in space sustainability, astronomy, space research, space law and space policy.
DR. RAJESWARI PILLAI RAJAGOPALAN
Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan is a Distinguished Fellow & Head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, at Observer Research Foundation. She is also the senior Asia defence writer for The Diplomat. Dr. Rajagopalan joined ORF after a five-year stint at the National Security Council Secretariat (2003-2007), where she was an Assistant Director. She has also been invited to speak at international fora including the UN COPUOS (Vienna), Conference on Disarmament (Geneva), UNIDIR (Geneva), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the European Union.
MARI ELDHOLM
Mari Eldholm is the Director of the Norsk Industriforum for Romvirksomhet (Norwegian Industrial Forum for Space Activities, NIFRO). In the past, Mari worked at the Norwegian Space Agency, European Space Agency (ESA), European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) and PTScientists. As such, she has experience with political processes on a national and international level, both from a government and industry perspective. In addition, through the ECSL she has experience in promoting educational opportunities within space related fields.
DANIEL PORRAS
Daniel Porras is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at the Secure World Foundation. Previously, Mr. Porras was the Space Security Fellow at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, where he focused on political and legal issues surrounding space security. His main focus has been on the progressive development of sustainable norms of behavior for space activities. He was the resident technical expert for multiple UN bodies working on space security issues, including the Group of Governmental Experts on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space.