The Secure World Volume 1, Number 5 March 07, 2008 - News Edition The Secure World is a biweekly online publication focused on space governance. www.secureworldfoundation.org To subscribe or unsubscribe from our mailing list go to: http://secureworldfoundation.org/subscribe or send us email at newsletter@secureworldfoundation.com _____________________________________________________________________ Secure World Foundation attends UNCOPUOS Science and Technology Session in Vienna The United Nations Committee On the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) Science and Technical (S&T) subcommittee met from the 10th of February to the 22nd of February 2008. The Secure World Foundation (SWF) attended the meeting, represented by Executive Director Dr. Ray Williamson. Ben Baseley-Walker and Brian Weeden, both consultants working for SWF on space traffic management, were also in attendance, co-representing the International Space University (ISU) delegation because of their presentation of the ISU Space Studies Program (SSP) team project report on space traffic management at the subcommittee session. Some key goals of SWF’s investment of time at the S&T session were: ? Become accustomed to the workings of the committee ? Raise the SWF profile through engagement with other COPUOS participants ? Prepare the ground for the decision on SWF’s observer status in June 2008 ? Raise the profile of space security in the Committee, and amongst the members, through, amongst other things, the support of the ISU presentation on Space Traffic Management. Overall, Dr. Williamson concluded that the time and financial resources used by SWF to attend the COPUOS subcommittee sessions were well spent. The goals listed above were ostensibly met. The Foundation is in a much stronger position now than it was before the session as regards UN relations, if for no other reason than it was represented by three individuals respected in the community rather than by proxy, which has been the case in the past. This strengthening of legitimacy was further helped by the success of the ISU presentation and the apparent perception that SWF is at the cutting edge of space security issues. These facts, and the networking carried out by all three SWF representatives will, it is hoped, encourage COPUOS to facilitate a smooth acceptance of SWF by the committee as a permanent observer in June 2008. In addition, the Foundation gained a much clearer understanding of the workings of the committee and thus the process of advocating the SWF agenda should be simplified at upcoming UN sessions. The apparent increased level of interest raised by the ISU presentation is expected to raise awareness of the issues surrounding space security and bodes well for SWF’s primary goals to be given higher billing in the work of the committee. According to the SWF team, it is important to continue active engagement with Committee members both inside and outside the UN system, as well as continued liaison with the Committee itself. The need for creating a medium-term strategy for dealing with the UN was deemed the next logical next step. UN-COPUOS Chair Gérard Brachet will hand off COPUOS leadership to Ciro Arévalo Yepes of Colombia. COPUOS QUICK FACTS Formally established in 1959 by UN Resolution 1472 (XIV). Mission is "to review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, to devise programs in this field to be undertaken under United Nations auspices, to encourage continued research and the dissemination of information on outer space matters, and to study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space." COPUOS has two subcommittees: The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee. Oversees five treaties: ? 1967 Outer Space Treaty ? 1968 Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts ? 1972 Liability Convention ? 1976 Registration Convention ? 1984 Moon Treaty Sixty-nine member states NEW AND NOTABLE FROM OUR LIBRARY “How China ‘Wins’ a Space War” by SWF’s own Brian Weeden appears in China Security, a publication of the World Security Institute in Washington, D.C. (http://www.chinasecurity.us/cs9_9.pdf) Americans and Russians on Space Weapons is a joint study of WorldPublicOpinion.org and the Advanced Methods of Cooperative Security Program of The Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland was released on January 24, 2008. This study can be viewed by going to: http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/jan08/CISSM_Space_Jan08_rpt.p df The Space Report - The Guide to Global Space Activity: 2007 Update is published by The Space Foundation. Find it here: www.spacefoundation.org/TheSpaceReport07.pdf Secure World Foundation, ESPI and IAA agree on space utilization workshop Secure World Foundation, ESPI and IAA agree on space utilization workshop The Secure World Foundation, together with its partners the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) and the International Astronautical Academy (IAA), agreed in Vienna, Austria, to jointly produce and host a workshop to investigate the fair and sustainable use of outer space, tentatively scheduled for November 20-21, 2008. The workshop will focus on current space policy issues, possible space traffic management rules, and questions regarding engagement of governments and industry on a global level . From left to right: Mr. Michel Jakob, ESPI Treasurer; Wolfgang Rathberger, Research Fellow; Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl, ESPI Director; Ben Baseley-Walker, SWF space traffic management policy analyst; Dr. Ray Williamson, SWF Executive Director; and Brian Weeden, SWF space traffic management technical analyst. Picture by ESPI. Foundation Executive Director Dr. Ray Williamson was asked by the government of South Africa for his input on resurrecting that country’s national space program. He is part of an international team providing South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology, the organization responsible for the country’s space activities, with advice on a strategic plan and development process for civil space activities. Part of the trip also includes visits to universities and laboratories currently working on space projects, satellite remote sensing data interpretation and processing centers, and satellite testing sites. Secure World Foundation interviewed on local Denver television Secure World Foundation interviewed on local Denver television regarding NRO satellite shoot-downregarding NRO satellite shoot-down Phil Smith, Assistant Director for Research and Plans at the Secure World Foundation was interviewed by Denver’s ABC 7 and CBS 4 news channels on February 20 regarding the impending shoot-down of the wayward satellite, NROL-21. Smith said, “Over the past five years there have been 328 satellites that have reentered without incident,” highlighting the fact that if the satellite were allowed to naturally reenter it would likely not cause harm or damage. In addition, Smith mentioned that the operation presents a unique opportunity to test certain technologies under the veil of safety. If the U.S. motive was safety, it should have made the event transparent; that is, invite representatives from Europe, China, and Russia to observe the operation in an effort to defuse any misunderstanding. Editorial Staff Leonard David Writer and Editor Barbara David Assistant Editor Tom Meyer Distribution and Webmaster Ray Williamson Foundation Executive Director Phil Smith Assistant Director for Research and Plans Cynda Collins-Arsenault Foundation Chairman of the Board and Foundation President Sarah Hartzell Office Manager Sam Moyer Intern ____________________________________________________________ SECURE WORLD FOUNDATION Tel: 303-554-1560 Fax: 303-554-1562 Email: info@swfound.org www.secureworldfoundation.org The Secure World is a biweekly publication focused on space governance. To subscribe or unsubscribe from our mailing list go to: http://secureworldfoundation.org/subscribe or send us email at newsletter@secureworldfoundation.com Next Issue: Space Code of Conduct SECURE WORLD FOUNDATION - Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security