War in Space

Nov 28 2024 47 ep. 27 mins 176
War in Space Podcast artwork

Space is becoming increasingly congested, contested and competed over. It has never been so easy – or so cheap – to launch a satellite into orbit. With space activity proliferating, its impact on national security has grown too: space assets are becoming vulnerable and space debris is becoming increasingly dangerous. War in Space is a series of interviews with experts in space and defence that will analyse the intersection of space and national security, unravelling the technical jargon that so often accompanies these discussions and explaining why space matters for our everyday lives and security. The views or statements expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by RUSI employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of RUSI.

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Episode 46: Space ‘Olympics’: A Gold Medal for the US?

Nov 28 2024 27 mins  
The US is the undisputed predominant space power. But for how long? While Western private companies such as Space X are entering and often dominating the space sector, China’s space power is also increasing, with private space launch enterprises such as that of Galactic Energy. Todd Harrison, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins the podcast to discuss what th

Episode 45: 'Zeitenwende' in Space?

Oct 31 2024 23 mins  
How does space power fit into German defence thinking, and has this changed since German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for a ‘Zeitenwende’ in 2022? When Chancellor Scholz addressed the nation shortly after the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a fundamental reconfiguring of Germany’s defence policy and budget was promised. The word Zeitenwende (‘turning point’) usu

Episode 44: Not All That Orbits is Gold: Space Debris

Sep 26 2024 24 mins  
We hear about the dangers of space debris all the time – the high velocities with which discarded or disused manmade objects travel around the Earth and the threat that high-speed impacts, even of small debris pieces, pose to satellites. Technologies are currently being developed to mitigate this, including by the company Astroscale. Alex Godfrey, Business Development Manager at

Episode 43: Europe in Space

Aug 29 2024 27 mins  
There is no pan-European approach to space. Instead, there is a diverse set of European actors, agencies and infrastructures that are making a mark on the final frontier. Who exactly is involved in the various European space endeavours and what are their projects? Are the constellations of Copernicus and Galileo the limit of ambition or will we see further projects and a tie into N

Episode 42: Eyes in Orbit: Space Situational Awareness

Aug 01 2024 29 mins  
Keeping track of satellites requires space situational awareness (SSA). But how does one acquire this information, and how subjective is the data that we receive? Sean Goldsborough, Business Leader at Raytheon NORSS, talks to us about the art of satellite tracking. We discuss the difference between SSA and space domain awareness (there is a distinction!), how the technology underli

Episode 41: The Accelerating Pace of the Space Industry

Jun 27 2024 27 mins  
Space launches in 2024 are routine events – new satellites enter orbit on a weekly basis, and the industry is changing fast. In this episode, we examine the increasing commercialisation of space and its implications, including how access to (relatively inexpensive) launch facilities has changed the satellite market, and how states and commercial companies are now working together

Episode 40: UK Space Command: Lessons Learned

May 30 2024 33 mins  
After three years of setting up and running UK Space Command, Air Vice Marshal Paul Godfrey joins us to discuss the lessons learned and explains why setting up the Command felt a bit like running a start-up. The discussion covers the road to integration, partnerships and why training with terrestrial alternatives to space services is important for the whole of the armed forces. Las

Episode 39: Space Sector Capture: How to Make Allies and Influence States

Apr 25 2024 28 mins  
Does a state's power on Earth translates into influence in orbit – and vice versa? Dr Jana Robinson, Managing Director of the Prague Security Studies Institute, presents her research on what she calls the ‘ground-based space race’, where authoritarian states fund parts of the space economy in third countries to gain influence and shape their voting decisions. This is especial

Episode 38: The Responsible Behaviours Report

Feb 29 2024 29 mins  
Multilateral efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space have been going on for decades. The most recent efforts include a UN resolution that intended to solve existing gridlocks by getting states to discuss what responsible behaviours in space look like. The problem of dual use – using space assets for military purposes or as a weapon – will continue to make verification of

Episode 37: No Wild West: An Introduction to Space Law

Jan 25 2024 35 mins  
There is a persistent perception that space is a lawless place. Professor Steven Freeland, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University and Professorial Fellow at Bond University, joins us to explain why that is not the case. We discuss the current multilateral rules that govern orbits, as well as where additions may come in in the future, why they might be