Secure World Foundation will participate in the SkyCommons Observatory Launch, hosted online by the Open Knowledge Foundation on July 16, 2026.

The SkyCommons Observatory provides visualizations of current and prospective satellites, along with a map of satellite providers and associated risks. The launch event will bring together experts in digital policy, telecommunications infrastructure, and geopolitics to discuss the future of low Earth orbit satellite services.

The discussion will focus on the rapid deployment of LEO satellite services across the Global South and conflict zones. These systems can provide vital connectivity, but they also raise questions about national digital sovereignty, market lock-in, data flow opacity, and reliance on foreign-owned infrastructure for critical communications.

Kathleen Brett, SWF Program Analyst, Space Security and Stability, will participate as a speaker. Her participation will bring SWF’s perspective on space security, stability, and the governance questions raised by expanding satellite connectivity infrastructure.

Other speakers include Burcu Kilic of the Open Knowledge Foundation, Christian Laesser of SkyCommons Observatory, Hilman Palaon of the Lowy Institute’s Indo-Pacific Development Centre, Renata Ávila of the Open Knowledge Foundation, Steve Song of the Internet Society, and Wesley Woo of Virginia Tech.