Newswise — Top experts in space policy, law and emerging technologies are taking part in a one-day workshop, geared to help hammer out steps in establishing a global consensus on security in outer space.
The workshop " The State of Space Security -- is to be convened Thursday, January 24 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
"This workshop is an excellent opportunity to bring some of the key thinkers on space security together to explore ways to improve the long term sustainability of space activities," explained Ray Williamson, Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation, a partner organization in bringing together the gathering of leading space authorities.
"We face the challenges of increased space traffic, growing amounts of orbital debris, and the drive of some countries to place weapons into space. Our ability to use space for the many benefits we have come to rely on every day depends on meeting these challenges," Williamson said.
The State of Space Security is a workshop organized by the Space Policy Institute, Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The purpose of the gathering of experts " including officials representing the U.S. State Department, NASA, the Naval Postgraduate School, the Center for International and Security Studies, as well as the European Space Policy Institute and the University of Tsukuba, Japan " is to stimulate international discussions of specific positive steps towards collective space security.
Rules of the road
Deliberations of participants will review secure and sustainable access to and use of outer space in accordance with international laws and treaties.
There have been a number of suggestions of initiatives that might be internationally acceptable, including increasing space situational awareness, developing an approach to space traffic management, and initiating various confidence-building measures such as "rules of the road" or a space "code of conduct."
This workshop will review progress being made not only on these measures, but two areas of particular interest: space situational awareness and space traffic management.
This unique one-day workshop is being held in partnership with the Secure World Foundation, the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies and the Ploughshares Fund.
Williamson underscored the importance of the Secure World Foundation's participation in the upcoming workshop. "The vision of the Secure World Foundation is to promote secure, sustainable and enforceable agreements that preserve and protect the global space commons," he emphasized.
The Secure World Foundation is calling for international steps toward establishing effective governance of space, Williamson added, including the curbing of menacing orbital debris while encouraging space traffic management, and cultivating the opportunity to utilize space for the benefit of all humankind.
To attend the upcoming workshop on space security, advance reservation is required and media is invited to this open gathering. To reserve a space, send an e-mail to [email protected]
The workshop is to be held on January 24 at the Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st Street NW, Washington, D.C.
For additional information on the workshop, contact the Space Policy Institute; 1957 E Street, NW; Suite 403; Washington, D.C. 20052; Phone: 202-994-7292.
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