In recent years, the rapid ascent of Starlink has redefined the balance of power in low Earth orbit (LEO) and brought with it some international risk. Backed by SpaceX and supported by the U.S. Government, Starlink now operates the majority of active satellites in space, with more than 6,500 already deployed and thousands more planned….
In this week’s Monday episode, we explore the shifting dynamics of space governance with Chilean space policy expert Victoria Valdivia Cerda. Dominic and Victoria examine how the growing entanglement between state power and commercial space actors is reshaping global norms. They discuss the challenges posed by the monopolisation of low Earth orbit, the blurred boundaries…
The ascent of commercial enterprises in space has redefined the contours of global exploration, propelling technological frontiers while casting intricate challenges to international security. No longer the sole province of state actors, the orbital domain now thrums with private ventures deploying vast satellite networks and envisioning extraterrestrial habitats. This transformation, however, invites a pressing question:…
This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Almudena Azcárate Ortega to explore the rising role of commercial entities like Starlink in space security. Many commercially operated systems are dual-use, intermingling civilian and military services in manners that are often ambiguous and can heighten tensions, raising questions about targetability and the…
Almudena Azcárate Ortega is the lead Space Security Researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). She has published widely and briefed UN Member States on the topics of space security law and policy and has presented her research in multiple fora. She has led UNIDIR’s participation in several multilateral discussions, including the 2022-2023…
In an increasingly congested and contested domain, the question of whether interference with satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constitutes an act of war is no longer theoretical. The proliferation of satellite constellations, the strategic entanglement of civilian and military uses, and the rise of ambiguous state behaviour in orbit have created an unstable environment…
Professor Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl is the President of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), the global association of space lawyers from more than 50 countries on all continents. He served from 2014 to 2016 as chair of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) and was from…
This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl, one of the world’s leading experts on international space policy and the former Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Legal Subcommittee. In this critical episode, they explore the growing risks in Low Earth Orbit…
