Commercial space companies play a significant role in military activities globally. NATO militaries are now among the largest consumers of commercial satellite services, primarily through the purchase of imaging data. About 80% of communications resources used by the US military overseas are supplied commercially.
Although military use of commercial satellites is not new, the growth of commercial actors in this arena is creating new space security challenges. Western, including Canadian, companies are now providing services to non-NATO militaries engaged in armed conflict, most notably to Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Russia views the use of commercial satellites as provocation and has stated that such “quasi-civilian” infrastructure may be a legitimate military target. In November 2021, it tested a missile against one of its own defunct satellites, creating thousands of pieces of space debris and putting satellites from the US, Europe, Canada, and Russia at risk as well as the International Space Station. Russia thus accepted the possible loss of its own satellites and cosmonauts to demonstrate its space-combat capabilities before invading Ukraine.
In response to these emerging space security challenges, the OSI has developed a Space Security Network with funding from the Canadian Department of National Defence’s Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program.
The goals of the Network include exploring the implications of the growing role of private space actors for Great Power competition and global stability, in the Ukraine War and longer term; considering how NATO governments should adapt their approach to defence in light of the growing capabilities of private space actors, weighed against associated risks; assessing the legal and ethical considerations for developing, adopting, and employing emerging technologies; and recommending how space companies can contribute to a peaceful and equitable security architecture.
The Space Security Network is composed of experts from several sectors (academia, industry, civil society, retired government officials) and countries (Canada, US, UK, Poland, India):
NETWORK CO-DIRECTORS
- Michael Byers, UBC (Political Science and International Relations)
- Aaron Boely, UBC (Physics and Astronomy)
NETWORK POST-DOC
- Roohi Dalal, UBC, Postdoctoral Fellow in Space Security and Sustainability
NETWORK MEMBERS
- Paul Meyer, SFU, former Ambassador for Disarmament
- Lucy Stojak, HEC Montreal, former Chair, Space Advisory Council
- Regina Lee, York University (Space engineering)
- Andrea Harrington, McGill University, formerly US Air University (Space law)
- Moriba Jah, University of Texas at Austin (Space engineering)
- Mac Evans, former President CSA
- Robin Frank, former counsel NASA & State Department
- Sunil Chavda, Telesat (Director, Future Systems and Engineering)
- Ellyne Kinney, MDA (Director, Technology Strategy)
- Agnieszka Lukaszczyk, Planet (VP, Government Affairs – Europe, Middle East and Africa)
- Raji Rajagopalan, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi
- Jessica West, Project Ploughshares
- Adam Bower, University of St Andrews (International Relations)
- Nikola Schmidt, Institute of International Relations, Prague
NETWORK RESEARCH TECHNICIAN
- Vivienne Zhang, Research Technician, UBC
Students and postdocs will also be central to the research and knowledge dissemination, with Network members providing mentorship and collaboration opportunities that foster the next generation of space security experts.
NETWORK PUBLICATIONS
- Outer Space. Jessica West. First Committee Monitor: Civil Society perspectives on the UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security 2 October – 3 November 2023.
- Cyber. Paul Meyer. First Committee Monitor: Civil Society perspectives on the UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security 2 October – 3 November 2023.
- A Consequence-based Approach Is Needed for Space Security. Raji Rajagopalan. The Diplomat. 19 October 2023.
- One million (paper) satellites. Andrew Falle, Ewan Wright, Aaron Boley, Michael Byers. Science. 12 October 2023, Vol 382, Issue 6667.
- Star-crossed States: No result from the UN Working Group on Reducing Space Threats. Paul Meyer. Open Canada. 24 September 2023.
- India-US Space Cooperation Gets a New Fillip. Raji Rajagopalan. The Diplomat. 11 September 2023.
- Session 4 of the #SpaceThreatsOEWG: What to look for this week. Jessica West. Ploughshares. 30 August 2023.
- Who Owns Outer Space? International Law, Astrophysics, and the Sustainable Development of Space. Michael Byers and Aaron Boley. Cambridge University Press. 30 August 2023.
- Space Debris Will Block Space Exploration unless We Start Acting Sustainably. Moriba Jah. Scientific American. 1 August 2023.
- Can Outer Space be Kept Free of Armed Conflict? Paul Meyer. RUSI Journal. 20 July 2023.
- Space Law. Andrew Simon-Butler and Michael Byers. Entry for Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law (MPEPIL).
- As satellite use grows, geopolitical conflicts could spill into outer space. Paul Meyer. Globe and Mail. 8 February 2023.