Secure World Foundation is pleased to once again co-organize the Outer Space Security Conference 2026 (OS26) in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). This annual event brings together government officials, technical experts, civil society representatives, commercial leaders, and academics for candid, cross-sector dialogue on the evolving challenges facing space security.
Outer space is entering a renewed phase of strategic importance, defined by rapid innovation, growing competition, and deepening global dependence. The evolution of the domain into a site for critical infrastructure and diverse commercial participation is fundamentally reshaping how space is accessed, used and governed. At the same time, the dual nature of modern space activities creates complex security dilemmas regarding the thresholds of destabilizing activity, the neutrality of new actors, and the strategic usage of space data. These developments raise urgent questions about security and stability in orbit.
Against this backdrop, UNIDIR convenes the Outer Space Security Conference 2026 as a platform for meaningful exchange across policymakers, defence actors, industry, academia and civil society. Through focused panel discussions on technical, legal and policy dimensions, participants will explore practical pathways to strengthen the security and sustainability of outer space, ensuring it remains stable and accessible for all.
Agenda
Dates: Tuesday, September 8–Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Location: Geneva, Switzerland and online
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | Day 1
09:30–10:00
Morning refreshments
10:00–10:15
Welcome remarks
Dr Robin Geiss, Director, UNIDIR
10:15–10:45
Keynote address
10:45–12:15
Panel I: Mapping space threats and consequences
Space systems are increasingly subject to threats that raise security concerns, particularly for systems that support both civilian and military functions. This panel will examine how space threats can affect capabilities in orbit and generate cascading effects in space and on Earth, as well as how certain activities blur the line between benign and hostile intent.
Speakers: Anca Agachi, Defense Policy Analyst, RAND Corporation; Natalia Fuzhenkova, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva; Sebastiano Fulci, Coordinator for Space Security Matters, General Directorate for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy; Olavo de Oliveira Bittencourt Neto, Professor, Catholic University of Santos.
Moderator: Almudena Azcárate Ortega, Fellow, Space Security Programme, UNIDIR; Senior Program Analyst, Secure World Foundation.
12:15–12:30
Lightning talk: OS26 youth campaign winner
12:30–13:30
Lunch break
13:30–15:00
Panel II: Strategic stability and the security of space architecture
This panel will examine how reliance on integrated space infrastructure for tactical and strategic operations affects global stability. It will evaluate how space-based force multipliers and the prospective deployment of strategic orbital capabilities challenge existing arms control regimes and broader international security.
Speakers: Dmitry Stefanovich, Research Fellow, Center for International Security, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations; Nivedita Raju, Senior Researcher, Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; James Acton, Co-Director, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Yue Yuan, Assistant Professor, Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University.
Moderator: Victoria Samson, Chief Director, Space Security and Stability, Secure World Foundation.
15:00–15:45
Vienna exchange: Updates from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
UNOOSA will provide an update on its work and progress in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, with a focus on areas relevant to space security. The presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer session.
Speaker: Rosanna Hoffmann, Lead, Space Law and Policy, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
Moderator: Chelsea Mai, Research Assistant, Space Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction Programmes, UNIDIR.
15:45–16:15
Coffee break
16:15–17:45
Panel III: Taking stock of efforts to advance the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space in all its aspects
This panel will examine how space security debates on international legally binding measures and non-binding measures related to PAROS are developing and how they may be pursued in practice. It will consider where common ground is emerging, where differences remain and how current multilateral discussions are shaping the near-term future.
Speakers: Emilia Sidorova, Head of Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Marjolijn Van Deelen, Special Envoy for Space, European External Action Service; Ambassador Foradori, Chair, Open-Ended Working Group on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space in all its Aspects; Clive Hughes, Head of Space Security and Advanced Threats, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Ambassador Li Chijiang, Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs, China.
Moderator: Peter Martinez, Executive Director, Secure World Foundation.
18:00–20:00
Reception
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | Day 2
09:30–10:00
Morning refreshments
10:00–10:15
Opening remarks
Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
10:15–11:45
Panel IV: Complex interactions in a multi-actor orbit
This panel will examine how the growing role of industry actors and novel activities in orbit affect the application of international law and thresholds for targetability in the space domain.
Speakers: Cassandra Steer, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Australasian Centre for Space Governance; Vasily Gudnov, Head, Multilateral Cooperation Division, State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS; Bin Li, Deputy Head of School, School of Law and Justice, University of Newcastle; Jessica Tok, Senior Space Multilateral Affairs Advisor, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Space Policy; Arlette Tanga, President, African Association of Air and Space Law.
Moderator: Jessica West, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation; Senior Researcher, Project Ploughshares.
11:45–12:00
Lightning talk: OS26 youth campaign winner
12:00–13:00
Lunch break
13:00–14:30
Panel V: Monitoring, verification and visibility in outer space
This panel will examine how new tools and technologies could support space security, including as a means to verify legally binding agreements and monitor norms of behaviour. It will explore current space situational awareness capabilities, how data is interpreted and assessed, and the opportunities and challenges associated with monitoring and verifying activities in outer space.
Speakers: Joana Ruiter, Coordinator, EU Affairs and Space Safety Delegate, Netherlands Space Agency; Areg Danagoulian, Associate Professor, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Regina Peldszus, Specialist, Space Security, European External Action Service; Thomas González Roberts, Assistant Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology.
Moderator: Bruno Martini, Researcher, Space Security Programme, UNIDIR.
14:30–15:15
Vienna exchange: Updates from COPUOS and the Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness
This exchange will provide an update on the work of the Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness, including initial recommendations and the utility of outcomes for the safety, security and sustainability of the outer space environment.
15:15–15:45
Coffee break
15:45–17:15
Panel VI: Securing space data and information and communication technology infrastructure
This panel will explore how the manipulation, disruption or denial of space-derived data affects strategic stability, the security challenges surrounding terrestrial and orbital data infrastructure, and the multilateral and technical measures needed to safeguard integrity and resilience across these systems.
Speakers: Patricia Cooper, Founder, Constellation Advisory; Floyd D’Costa, Co-Founder, Space Armour and Blockchain Worx; Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano, Research Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies; Google representative; Laetitia Cesari, Fellow, Space Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction Programmes, UNIDIR.
Moderator: Thando Mathe, Research Assistant, Space Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction Programmes, UNIDIR.
17:15–17:30
Concluding remarks
Dr Robin Geiss, Director, UNIDIR
When and where
Tuesday, 8 September, and Wednesday, 9 September 2026 | Palais des Nations in Geneva and online.
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