Secure World Foundation has published its May 2026 Newsletter.
Interest in orbital data centers has moved quickly from the margins to a major trend in space development. Companies including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Starcloud, Google, Planet, Nvidia, and others have announced plans or interest in using on-orbit satellite constellations to meet growing demand for artificial intelligence and other compute-intensive applications.
In this month’s Insight piece, SWF’s Alex Shi and Ian Christensen examine what these proposals could mean for space operations, safety, sustainability, and the regulatory systems now being asked to review them.
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Welcome, Almudena Azcárate Ortega and Christina Almonte, to the Secure World Foundation
Secure World Foundation is pleased to welcome two new members to its program team: Almudena Azcárate Ortega, Senior Program Analyst, Space Law and Regulation, and Christina Almonte, Program Analyst, Space Sustainability. Together, they strengthen SWF’s work on space law, regulation, sustainability, and governance.
Dr. Azcárate Ortega leads SWF’s space law and regulation work. She brings a decade of experience in international law, with a focus on outer space issues. Before joining SWF, she was Lead Space Security Researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), where she led research projects and strategies on space issues and contributed to multilateral processes. She remains affiliated with UNIDIR as a Fellow and is an Academic Fellow with Georgetown’s Center on National Security.
Ms. Almonte brings experience in satellite regulation, space governance, and emerging space policy. She previously worked with the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau, where she managed satellite spectrum license applications and contributed to regulatory rulemaking on In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) and Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS). She also supported international agreements at NASA’s International and Space Law Practice Group and has presented research on satellite jamming, spoofing, and international law at the International Astronautical Congress.
All of us at SWF are pleased to welcome these new staff members to the team.
Applications Still Open | 2026 Space Sustainability Research Fellowship
SWF wants to remind prospective applicants that submissions are still open for the 2026 Space Sustainability Research Fellowship. This opportunity invites early- and mid-career professionals to contribute to critical research on space sustainability and governance. Selected Fellows will conduct in-depth research on key issues shaping the future of the space environment, focused on evaluating models for private sector participation in international governance for space safety and space traffic coordination.
The fellowship supports the development of research that informs policymakers, industry leaders, and the broader space community. Fellows will also engage with stakeholders through workshops and dialogues, helping bridge gaps between policy, regulation, and operational practice.
The program aims to strengthen understanding of space as a shared domain, support the development of norms for responsible behavior, and advance practical approaches to sustainability and security challenges. Research outputs will be published and shared globally.
Applications remain open until Monday, June 1, 2026, with selected Fellows beginning their research later that summer.
Apply for Fellowship
SWF Publishes Revised Edition of its Space Sustainability Infographic Poster
As global dependence on space continues to expand, so too do the challenges of maintaining a safe and sustainable orbital environment. SWF’s updated infographic poster, Space Sustainability: Preserving the Usability of Outer Space, provides a current snapshot of how we use space today, who is active in orbit, and the urgent issues shaping its future, from debris and congestion to evolving security dynamics. The poster also highlights the importance of cooperative, policy, and technical solutions to safeguard space for generations to come.
View the Poster
New Victoria Samson Essay Published by Carnegie
Carnegie Corporation of New York published an essay by SWF Chief Director, Space Security and Stability, Victoria Samson, that argues for the urgent need for space traffic coordination in order to promote risk reduction and ensure stability on orbit. In Space Stability is Strategic Stability, she writes that current conditions in Earth orbit are resulting in “the possibility of two nuclear-armed rivals operating in relatively close altitudes, where situational awareness is imperfect, communication pathways are muddy and strained, and there is no agreement about responsible behaviors in space. This is where an accidental too-close approach could result in an inciting incident where conflict in space leads to conflict on Earth.”
Read the Article
CSIS–SWF Joint Counterspace Report Release
“What Are the Biggest Space Threats in 2026?”
SWF and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Aerospace Security Project will be hosting a joint release event on Friday, May 22, at 1:00 pm ET, for a discussion about the latest counterspace capabilities trends. The conversation will follow the publication of annual counterspace reports by each organization: CSIS’s Space Threat Assessment 2026 and SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment. The virtual event will be live-streamed.
Learn MoreDialogue to Strengthen the Outer Space Treaty and Deter the Placement of Nuclear Weapons in Outer Space
May 26–27, 2026 | Geneva, Switzerland
SWF, in partnership with the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), is pleased to co-organize the Dialogue to Strengthen the Outer Space Treaty and Deter the Placement of Nuclear Weapons in Outer Space, a two-day, not-for-attribution discussion aimed at reinforcing legally-binding restrictions against the deployment and use of nuclear weapons in outer space. This is an invite-only event, and a report capturing the key discussion points will be released to the public later this year.
Learn MoreSecond Space Capacity Allocation for the Sustainability of Space Activities Workshop
June 3–5, 2026 | Milan, Italy
In June, SWF will co-sponsor the Second Space Capacity Allocation for the Sustainability of Space Activities Workshop, hosted at Politecnico di Milano. This event will convene space operators, regulators, and researchers to examine the increasing complexity of the orbital environment and to explore approaches for assessing and managing the overall capacity of space.
The workshop will highlight current research on space capacity modeling and management, alongside interdisciplinary perspectives on space sustainability spanning legal, economic, and technical domains. Discussions will cover key issues such as long-term orbital capacity, space traffic management considerations, atmospheric emissions from launches and reentries, and other factors influencing the sustainable use of outer space.
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The 8th Summit for Space Sustainability
November 4–5, 2026 | Brasília, Brazil
Early bird registration is now open for the 8th Summit for Space Sustainability. SWF, in partnership with the Brazilian Space Agency, will convene the conference, marking its first time in Latin America and the Caribbean. The program will bring together global and regional leaders across policy, industry, research, and civil society.
Register
May 13–14, 2026 | Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition, Singapore
SWF participated in the Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition (GSTCE) 2026, organized by the Singapore Science and Technology Think Tank. The conference focused on “Commercialising Space: Driving Economic Value Across Industries.” SWF hosted a workshop called Investing in the Space Economy: A Conversation on Risks and Stability, which allowed for interactive conversations about SWF’s recent publications, Responsible Investment in the Space Sector: A Guide to Stewardship for Sustainable Value Creation and Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment. Additionally, Dr. Peter Martinez, SWF’s Executive Director, delivered an invited talk on norms for space sustainability.
April 26, 2026 | NYSE Space Summit, New York City, United States
SWF participated in the 2026 NYSE Space Summit in New York City, convening leaders from finance, industry, and the space sector to discuss the future of space investment and innovation. Krystal Azelton, Senior Director, Program Planning, presented SWF’s publication, Responsible Investment in the Space Sector: A Guide to Stewardship for Sustainable Value Creation. The session addressed challenges such as orbital congestion, radio-frequency interference, debris proliferation, and geopolitical risks, and explored pathways for sustainable engagement.
May 4–6, 2026 | IAA–HKU–EPFL Space Debris and Sustainability Conference, Hong Kong
SWF participated in the IAA–HKU–EPFL Space Debris and Sustainability Conference in Hong Kong. Dr. Peter Martinez, SWF’s Executive Director, delivered an invited talk on norms for space sustainability. This engagement supported SWF’s efforts to expand dialogue across the Chinese space ecosystem, including government, academia, and industry, and to better understand regional perspectives on space sustainability.
June 2–4, 2026 | International Astronautical Federation Global Space Conference on Climate Change, Kigali, Rwanda
Secure World Foundation is no longer able to attend the 2026 International Astronautical Federation Global Space Conference on Climate Change in Kigali, Rwanda, due to the ongoing regional health crisis. Krystal Azelton, SWF’s Senior Director, Program Planning, had been scheduled to speak on “Beyond the Data: Communicating Climate Change from Space to the Public Mind.” SWF continues to support the conference and its focus on how space-based technologies and applications can advance climate resilience and sustainability. GLOC 2026 will bring together global stakeholders to examine technical, policy, and programmatic issues related to climate change, foster collaboration, and share knowledge across the international space and climate communities.
June 4, 2026 | International Space Development Conference 2026, McLean, Virginia
SWF will participate in the upcoming International Space Development Conference 2026, organized by the National Space Society. Kathleen Brett, Program Analyst, Space Security and Stability, will give a presentation titled, “From Earthbound Economies to Spacefaring Strategy: The Legal Rise of the BRICS Group,” during the “Space Policy: The Expanding Space Order: Law, Markets, Sustainability, and Security” session.