Evolving National Security Space Policies

This presentation, “Evolving National Security Space Policies” by Victoria Samson, Chief Director for Space Security and Stability at the Secure World Foundation, was delivered at the McGill Strategic Space Law Course on October 17, 2025. It provides a comparative analysis of how major spacefaring nations are shaping their military and security approaches to outer space. The presentation reviews the latest organizational, legal, and policy developments across countries including the United States, Russia, China, India, Australia, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and others. Key themes include the militarization of space, the rise of dual-use and dual-purpose technologies, and the challenges of defining “responsible” behavior in an increasingly contested domain. Samson also discusses initiatives such as the UN’s No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space proposal, the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile defense concept, and the importance of transparency and definitional clarity—highlighting tools like the Lexicon for Outer Space Security and SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities report. Sec