May Updates from SWF

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Insight Piece

Facing the Counterspace Challenge

As space becomes increasingly vital to global security, commerce, and everyday life, the development and deployment of counterspace capabilities have taken center stage. This evolution poses a critical question: how do we safeguard the peaceful use of outer space amid rising military ambitions? SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment answers this by shedding light on the accelerating pursuit of technologies that can disable or destroy space systems. By bringing transparency to these developments, we hope to encourage informed policy, international dialogue, and cooperative steps to preserve space as a secure and sustainable domain for all. Read More.

Now Accepting Applications: Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund 2025. Secure World Foundation is now accepting applications for the Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund 2025, which supports young professionals in attending the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, 2025. Learn more and apply here.

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Release of the 2025 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report. The Secure World Foundation is proud to announce the release of the 2025 edition of its annual report, Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment. Since its inception in 2018, this report has doubled in scope and depth—growing from 148 pages to 316 pages, and expanding coverage from 6 countries to 12. This significant growth reflects the rapid escalation and diversification of counterspace activities globally.

The 2025 report provides comprehensive analysis on the counterspace capabilities of the United States, Russia, China, India, Australia, France, Iran, Israel, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Expanded Access Through Translations. In an effort to broaden global access to the information in the report, translations of the report’s executive summary into all six official UN languages will be available the week of May 19, 2025. This initiative ensures that the critical information contained in the report is accessible to a wider international audience, promoting informed discussions on space security across linguistic and regional boundaries.

Stay tuned for the multilingual release the week of May 19th!

The Secure World Foundation announces the release of the updated COPUOS Briefing Book for 2025.

This comprehensive resource provides a detailed overview of the work and structure of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), offering key background information for delegates, stakeholders, and the wider space community.

This year’s edition includes several important updates reflecting the most recent developments in the work of the Committee and its Subcommittees. In an effort to increase accessibility and promote broader international engagement, the 2025 Briefing Book is now also available in French, Spanish, and Russian, alongside the original English version.

The Briefing Book serves as a vital tool for understanding the role of COPUOS in advancing international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. We encourage all those involved in space policy, diplomacy, and research to explore this valuable resource.

New Publication: Dr. Peter Martinez Co-Authors Key Study on Space Capacity Management

The Secure World Foundation is proud to announce that Dr. Peter Martinez, Executive Director, has co-authored a new publication in Acta Astronautica titled "Space Capacity Management and its Interaction with Space Traffic Management".

As space activity accelerates, this important work explores how to quantify and manage the finite capacity of Earth's orbital environment, blending technical, regulatory, and policy perspectives. The paper offers critical insights and recommendations for international consensus on sustainable orbital use. Dr. Martinez’s expertise helped shape the discussion on how space traffic management must evolve to protect the long-term sustainability of outer space.

May 28 |The Secure World Foundation’s Krystal Azelton, Senior Director, Program Planning, will be hosting the discussion, “Understanding Space Sustainability: Handbook for New Actors in Space,” at SmallSat Europe in Amsterdam. Learn more about this event.

October 22-23 l The 7th Summit for Space Sustainability, co-hosted by the Secure World Foundation, the Centre National D’études Spatiales (CNES), and the Government of France, will be a high-level, multi-day international forum located at Centre de Conférences Pierre Mendès France, Paris.

May 21 | SWF’s Chief Director, Space Security and Stability, Victoria Samson, will speak at the conference, “Security In Outer Space: Woomera Manual, Military Operations, & Emerging Issues,” held by the Georgetown Center on National Security (CNS) and the American Society of International Law (ASIL) in Washington, DC.

May 23 | SWF’s Director, Legal Affairs and Space Law, Chris Johnson will speak at the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center’s online 2025 Space Policy Certificate Program on space diplomacy.

May 30 | SWF’s Victoria Samson will speak at the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center’s online 2025 Space Policy Certificate Program about China’s space program.

June 18 | SWF’s Senior Director of Program Planning, Krystal Azelton, will speak at a panel discussion on “Space for Earth” at the 55th International Paris Air Show.

June 20 | SWF’s Victoria Samson, will speak at the inaugural conference of the Space Law & Sustainability Center of VU Amsterdam.

May 5–16 | SWF’s Chris Johnson participated in the 64th session of the Legal Subcommittee (LSC) of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, Austria.

May 5–16 | SWF’s Ian Christensen, Senior Director of Private Sector Programs, participated in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Study Group 4 Working Party 4A Meeting in Shanghai, China.

May 5–9 | SWF’s Krystal Azelton contributed to the GEO Global Forum in Rome, Italy.

May 2 | SWF’s was proud to support the Colorado Space Renaissance, an event hosted by the Colorado Space Business Roundtable (CSBR) with support from Rogue Space Systems.

April 29 | SWF’s Chris Johnson spoke on the role of civil society and the private sector in international space diplomacy at Strengthening America’s Leadership in Space, held at the Meridian House.

April 25 | SWF’s and CSIS discussed the 2025 versions of their annual global counterspace threat assessments via an online webinar. The Secure World Foundation’s Victoria Samson presented major findings and emerging counterspace trends during the event.

April 23–25 | SWF’s Dr. Peter Martinez spoke at the NATO Science for Peace and Security Advanced Research Workshop, The Evolution of Space for Security and Prosperity: Risks, Defence and Cooperation, hosted by the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, France. Dr. Martinez participated in the opening panel, Establishing Common Ground: Defining Security in and from Space.

April 1–4 | SWF’s Ian Christensen, spoke at the 9th European Conference on Space Debris in Bonn, Germany.

Thank you to our amazing sponsors of the 7th Annual Summit for Space Sustainability

Become a sponsor today! https://www.swfsummit.org/sponsors

Register for the Event! https://www.swfsummit.org/home

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