Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability The Role

Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability The Role of Space Situational Awareness in Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures Victoria Samson, Secure World Foundation UNIDIR Space Security 2016 Sustaining the Momentum: the Current Status of Space Security Geneva, Switzerland April 28, 2016 © 2016 Secure World Foundation. Used with Permission UNIDIR 2016 www. swfound. org

Overview Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability • Dual-use nature of space and the importance of intent • SSA to enhance TCBMs • Close approach technologies and how SSA can help UNIDIR 2016 2 www. swfound. org

Dual-Use Space Technologies Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability • Space technologies can be dual-use – Intent, not hardware, going to be key – How do you demonstrate responsible, non-threatening use of space? • Norms of behavior can help signal good intent – Help describe what is considered standard behavior UNIDIR 2016 3 www. swfound. org

Trust But Verify: SSA Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability • Using space situational awareness (SSA) to improve transparency – Better SSA in general is needed – SSA can see if operators are acting responsibly or irresponsibly – Multiple SSA sources can verify and attribute bad actors • U. S. considering how to change its SSA responsibilities – Role of commercial sector • Expand the conversation UNIDIR 2016 4 www. swfound. org

Close Approaches and SSA Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability • New issues in particular can possibly stress the space environment – Rendezvous and proximity operations – Active debris removal • Technical steps that can be taken to minimize concerns • Norms of behavior like agreeing to “exclusion zones” around satellites can mitigate worries • SSA can be used to ensure that those best practices are being followed UNIDIR 2016 5 www. swfound. org

Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Sustainability Questions? Thanks. vsamson@swfound. org 1. 202. 568. 6213 UNIDIR 2016 6 www. swfound. org