Summary of Space Security Index 2009 Event at Canadian Embassy

On Jan. 21, 2010, Secure World Foundation (SWF), the Space Security Index (SSI) and the Embassy of Canada hosted an event titled "Space Security Index 2009: The Status and Future Trends in Space Security".

Cesar Jaramillo of Project Ploughshares, Clay Mowry of Arianespace, Dr. Peter Hayes of SAIC (currently working with the National Security Space Office), and Marcia Smith of SpacePolicyOnline.com presented at the event, which was held at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC. Photos courtesy of Bob Wolf.

Mr. Jaramillo (left) introduced the event by describing what the SSI is and how it is developed. The SSI is a comprehensive and integrated assessment of space security, and is published annually by Project Ploughshares with partners, including the SWF. Its objective is to facilitate dialogue on space security by providing an objective set of data combined with trend analysis by experts in the field. More details on SSI can be found here. You can listen to Jaramillo's presentation here (please allow several minutes for the file to download).

Mr. Mowry (right) discussed the commercial sector in the context of space security, specifically addressing the health of the satellite manufacturing and services industries and the launch industry that feeds upon them. He pointed out that these industries seem immune to the current global economic crisis, though he did mention that recent cancellation of a key U.S. military communication satellite program, continued strict application of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and a reemergence of artificially low Chinese launch prices will have negative impacts on the space industry. Mowry did conclude his remarks on a hopeful note by highlighting that legislative efforts to reform ITAR are under way and the Obama Administration’s highly anticipated national space policy is expected later in the year. You can listen to Mowry's presentation here (please allow several minutes for the file to download).

"The year of reviewing U.S. space activities” was the theme of Ms. Smith’s presentation. Smith (left) explained that the U.S. government is currently reviewing its future in outer space, and as part of this review, will eventually create a new National Space Policy that will replace the one established by President George W. Bush in 2006. She posited that a lack of indigenous capability to send humans into space following the retirement of the Space Shuttle may impact U.S. credibility as a major space power, but that this is more of a “wait and see” scenario. You can listen to Smith's presentation here (please allow several minutes for the file to download).

Finally, Dr. Hays (right) took time to praise work being done to address the growing problem of orbital debris, specifically highlighting the work of Nicholas Johnson, who heads the NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office, and that which is being conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He described these efforts as being among the first to provide useful solutions to the problem. His talk concluded with a discussion of the country's space policy efforts introduced earlier by Smith.






From left to right: Ben Baseley-Walker (SWF Legal and Policy Advisor), Mowry, Smith, Hays, Jaramillo, and Victoria Samson (SWF Washington Office Director).