June 2026 Newsletter
June 2026 Newsletter
In May 2026, the Secure World Foundation (SWF) released an updated edition of our Space Sustainability Infographic, a single-page graphic primer on why space sustainability matters, the challenges it faces, and what can be done to keep outer space safe, secure, and peaceful.
This new version captures the rapidly evolving state of our orbital environment. The pace of growth, driven largely by very large constellations operating in low Earth orbit, is reshaping how we manage orbital activity.
This Insight accompanies the infographic and offers a fuller explanation of why we think the underlying message – that orbits constitute a shared, finite resource, and that space sustainability requires coordinated action – has only grown more urgent.
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The 8th Summit for Space Sustainability Outline Agenda Is Live
The topical agenda for the 8th Summit for Space Sustainability is now available. Co-hosted by Secure World Foundation and the Brazilian Space Agency, the event will take place November 4–5, 2026, in Brasília.
Review the agenda for a first look at the sessions and conversations planned for this year’s conference.
Review the Agenda
Call for Applications for SWF’s Space Boot Camp for Nuclear Policy Professionals
Secure World Foundation is hosting its Space Boot Camp for Nuclear Policy Professionals in order to ensure that future researchers, negotiators, and diplomats have foundational knowledge of space systems, security risks, and commercial space dynamics. The Space Boot Camp will be held Monday, January 25, through Friday, January 29, 2027, in Washington, D.C. Participants must be 35 or under and be based in the United States. The Space Boot Camp is part of SWF’s initiative, “Strengthening Strategic Stability at the Nexus of Space and Nuclear Security,” which is supported by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.
For more information, including how to apply, please click below.
Apply for Boot Camp
2026 Counterspace Report Translations and Fact Sheets
The Executive Summary of SWF’s 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report is now available in multiple languages. Readers can access the summary in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The 2026 report compiles and assesses publicly available information on counterspace capabilities being developed by 13 countries across five categories: co-orbital, direct-ascent, electronic warfare, directed energy, and cyber.
As well, updated fact sheets on various counterspace capabilities and activities are available. These publications cover direct-ascent anti-satellite tests, co-orbital anti-satellite tests, military and intelligence rendezvous and proximity operations, the United States’ X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, and China’s Reusable Experimental Spacecraft.
Read the Executive Summaries & Fact SheetsNew Essay Co-Written by Peter Martinez Published by the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum published “Why Space Technology Convergence Matters Now,” co-written by SWF Executive Director Peter Martinez with Dava Newman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Pascale Ehrenfreund of the Committee on Space Research. The essay examines how space technologies increasingly intersect with artificial intelligence, climate science, energy, quantum systems, manufacturing, biotechnology, and robotics. It argues that decisions made now about how space technologies are developed, shared, and governed will shape economies and societies for years to come.
Read the Piece
AMOS Conference
September 15–18, 2026 | Maui, Hawaii
SWF will collaborate with the Maui Economic Development Board to produce the 2026 AMOS Policy Forum at the 27th AMOS Conference in Maui, Hawaii, United States. The AMOS Policy Forum brings together international experts to discuss key policy issues in space situational awareness (SSA) and space domain awareness (SDA). Discussions in the policy forum will address three key topics: examining emerging issues related to the dual-use aspects of SSA; understanding the nature of what constitutes a basic SSA service; and coordinating SSA aspects related to space launch and re-entry activities.
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, and the topical agenda is available. 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.
Upcoming Engagements
June 25, 2026 | Science Diplomacy Talk Series | Virtual
SWF Chief Director, Space Security and Stability, Victoria Samson, will participate in a fireside chat at the Science Diplomacy Talk Series, co-organized by The Global Network for Science and Diplomacy (GNSD) and The Global Lens | Science Diplomacy in Focus. The session, “Space and Our Shared Future,” can be watched on GNSD’s YouTube channel on June 25, 2026.
July 2–3, 2026 | A-STAR Workshop | Seoul, Republic of Korea
SWF is collaborating with Spacemap Inc. to host the A-STAR Workshop in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on July 2–3, 2026. The workshop aims to identify steps toward the development of an Asia regional common platform for space traffic coordination. “STAR” stands for “Space Traffic Coordination: Awareness Reinforced.” The workshop is by invitation only. Please contact Ian Christensen, SWF Senior Director, Private Sector Programs, for more information.
July 6–9, 2026 | SPACETIDE 2026 | Tokyo, Japan
SWF Senior Director, Private Sector Programs, Ian Christensen will attend the 2026 SPACETIDE Conference in Tokyo, Japan, and moderate a fireside chat session focused on cybersecurity for space assets.
Recent Engagements
June 16–18, 2026 | SpaceBR Show, São Paulo, Brazil
SWF participated in the SpaceBR Show at Expo Center Norte in São Paulo, Brazil. Krystal Azelton, SWF’s Senior Director, Program Planning, joined the Forum, “Space Ecosystem and Sustainability: Bridges to the Future,” developed with the Brazilian Space Agency. The event connected companies, governments, universities, research institutes, startups, investors, and users to discuss regional and global trends, new business opportunities, and sustainable growth across the space sector.
June 15–16 | Würzburger Europarechtstage (Würzburg European Law Days) - The European Union in Outer Space | Würzburg, Germany
SWF participated in the Würzburger Europarechtstage (Würzburg European Law Days) - The European Union in Outer Space organized by the University of Würzburg. Dr. Almudena Azcárate Ortega, Senior Program Analyst, Space Law and Regulation, participated on a panel on Outer Space as a Domain of Militarization, Conflict and Defence where she presented on space security law.
June 9–10 | Satellite Map Day – Foro Latinoamericano de Infraestructura Crítica Espacial | Virtual
SWF participated in the Satellite Map Day, a Latin American Forum bringing together leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to explore the critical role of outer space infrastructure. SWF’s Dr. Almudena Azcárate Ortega spoke during the second day of the conference on a panel focused on space sustainability governance, providing an overview of the role and challenges of international law to govern outer space activities in the context of the current geopolitical climate and rapid commercial development.
June 3–5, 2026 | Second Space Capacity Allocation for the Sustainability of Space Activities Workshop, Milan, Italy
SWF co-sponsored the Second Space Capacity Allocation for the Sustainability of Space Activities Workshop, hosted at Politecnico di Milano. The event brought together space operators, regulators, and researchers to examine the growing complexity of the orbital environment and discuss approaches to measuring and managing the overall capacity of space.
The workshop explored current research on space capacity modeling and management, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives on space sustainability from legal, economic, and technical viewpoints. Discussions addressed topics such as long-term orbital capacity, space traffic coordination considerations, debris mitigation strategies, and other factors affecting the sustainable use of outer space.
June 4, 2026 | International Space Development Conference 2026
SWF participated in the International Space Development Conference 2026, organized by the National Space Society. Kathleen Brett, Program Analyst, Space Security and Stability, gave 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.
May 26–27, 2026 | Dialogue to Strengthen the Outer Space Treaty and Deter the Placement of Nuclear Weapons in Outer Space, Geneva, Switzerland
SWF was delighted to partner with the Council on Strategic Risks and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy 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 invite-only event brought together 40+ experts to examine this topic; a report capturing the key discussion points will be released to the public later this year. The initiative was supported by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation and Longview Philanthropy through the Consortium to Reduce Nuclear Dangers.
May 22, 2026 | CSIS–SWF Discussion, "What are the biggest space threats in 2026?” Washington, DC, and virtual
SWF and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)’s Aerospace Security Project held a discussion, "What are the biggest space threats in 2026?” on May 22, 2026, that examined the latest counterspace capabilities trends. This was in support of the publication of annual counterspace reports by each organization: CSIS’s upcoming Space Threat Assessment 2026 and SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment. The virtual event was live-streamed; a recording of the discussion can be found here.
May 4–6, 2026 | IAA–HKU–EPFL Space Debris and Sustainability Conference, Hong Kong
SWF Executive Director Dr. Peter Martinez attended the IAA–HKU–EPFL Space Debris and Sustainability Conference in Hong Kong and gave a keynote speech on “Challenges to Outer Space Governance.”
