SWF's Brian Weeden attends IAASS Conference in Rome, Italy

Secure World Foundation technical consultant Brian Weeden participated in the 3rd Annual International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) Conference in Rome, Italy. The conference brought together international experts in safety from the aerospace world to discuss the problems and solutions.

Secure World Foundation was proud to be both a sponsor and co-oganizer of the event. In addition to co‐chairing three sessions on Space Traffic Control and Management, Brian moderated a panel discussion on the technical feasibility of international civil space situational awareness. Bringing together technical experts from the United States, Europe, Russia and China, the discussion was very valuable, with all parties expressing both interest and providing valuable insight.

TONIGHT: U.S. SPACE POLICY PANEL TO DISCUSS NEW DIRECTIONS

A special space policy panel will address NASA funding in the future, as well as commercial, scientific and military space strategies.

The event will take place on the Colorado University-Boulder campus at the Discovery Learning Center, Room 1B70, Thursday night, October 30. The panel discussion will start at 5:30 p.m.

Panel members will include Phil Smith of Secure World Foundation, Robert Zubrin of the Mars Society, and Dave Klaus of BioServe Technologies.

A range of topics are to be addressed, including NASA funding – should it be adjusted or changed? What smaller missions should have priority for science exploration? Will space turn into a military zone or a constantly growing junkyard of space debris?

The event is sponsored by the CU Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (CU-SEDS). For directions to the Discovery Learning Center on the CU campus, go here.

SWF and Partners Deliver Statement at United Nations

Today at the afternoon session of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, Ben Baseley-Walker delivered a statement on behalf of civil society on space security.

The Ambassadors of New Zealand and Canada expressed their thanks for the work of civil society on these issues and the necessity for pushing for inclusion of civil society input into the Conference on Disarmament. The Chairman of the Committee thanked Secure World Foundation for its input into the work of the First Committee.

Ben also has an article in Page 12 of the First Committee Monitor, a publication from Reaching Critical Will.

International Summer Symposia on Science and World Affairs

Brian Weeden, Technical Consultant to Secure World Foundation, attended the 2008 Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs, an annual meeting begun in Moscow in 1989 where experts discuss matters related to arms control. Organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), more than 400 people from 26 countries have attended these symposia during the past 20 years. In the Fall 2008 issue of Catalyst, the magazine of the UCS, a brief history is provided.

SWF country profiles for India, Indonesia, Iran and South Korea updated

The country profiles for India, Indonesia, Iran and South Korea have been updated. The Foundation wishes to thank consultant Kate Amlin for providing the analysis and text for these and other country profiles. Updates for the countries of North Korea and Ukraine will be posted by the end of the week.

Dr. Ray Williamson, SWF Executive Director, in New York for UN discussions

Dr. Ray Williamson (second from right), SWF Executive Director; Victor Vasiliev, Deputy Permanent Representative to the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN Geneva Office; and Nicolas Gerard of UNIDIR are currently taking part in a panel to members of the United Nations General Assembly chaired by Ambassador Robert Grey of the Bipartisan Security Group.

The panel is discussing transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs), the draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT), and other key space security issues. Find out more on governmental proposals here.

Dr. Williamson stressed the need to approach all of these issues from both the technical and the political perspective.

Minister Vasiliev stressed that TCBMs are and integral part of the international legal framework and work towards the goal of reaching agreement on prohibiting the placement of weapons in other space. However, they can not substitute for comprehensive legal obligations on a treaty on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS).

SWF sponsors local World Space Week events

Come one, come all! The Secure World Foundation, in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, will be sponsoring three events in support of World Space Week, all open to the public.

On October 10th, Dr. Dan Baker, Director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, will be giving a talk on international cooperation in space sciences at 7:30 PM at the UC Fiske Planetarium. We are grateful to have Dr. Baker provide insight to the public on how countries cooperate on issues directly affecting our planet's health.

Following Dr. Baker's talk, Dr. Cherilynn Morrow will be performing as both musician and teacher with AstroJazz, a stellar way to communicate the complexity and beauty of the universe through the arts. Dr. Morrow will be flying in from Georgia State University, and we are so pleased to have her. Dr. Morrow is also a member of the Foundation's Advisory Committee.

The next day (October 11), also at the Fiske Planetarium from 9:00 AM to 12:30, we will host several talks on near Earth asteroids, especially those with a high probability of impacting the Earth. What are these objects? Where are they? Once found, what can we do about them? These are just a few of the questions which will be tackled by Dr. Dan Durda of the Southwest Research Institute and Bob Arentz of Ball Aerospace. SWF Operations Director Suzanne Metlay and Communications Director Phil Smith will also give a talk on how the international community is dealing with the subject. We are very grateful to Dr. Durda and Mr. Arentz for helping us with this. A free brunch will be served for those who stop by.

All events are open to the public and will be held at the University of Colorado Boulder Fiske Planetarium. Here's how to get there.

SWF presents at the 59th International Astronautical Congress

Secure World Foundation's Agnieszka Lukaszczyk presents "The Role of Space-related NGOs in Capacity Building," a paper co-written with SWF executive director Dr. Ray Williamson for the 59th International Astronautical Congress 2008 in Glasgow, Scotland on October 1st. The paper was presented during the session on "Space Policies and Programmes of International Organizations." The paper can be accessed here.