View When Elephants Fight in Space By Zhanna Malekos Smith PublishedJanuary 12, 2022 There is an insightful African proverb that says, “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” The same can be said for when states launch kinetic anti-satellite tests that produce harmful clouds of debris. Not only do these destructive tests—such as the Russian Federation’s missile test on November 15—undermine a sustainable space environment for all, but as the commercial […]
Jan26 Dancing Lights in Space: How to Manage The Risks of Satellite Close Approaches in Geostationary Orbit Both commercial satellite operators and governments are increasingly concerned about uncoordinated close approaches of their satellites by others in space, particularly in the geostationary belt where many valuable commercial and national security satellites reside. The Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Secure World Foundation (SWF) are […]
View Commercial Space Remote Sensing and Its Role in National Security By Todd Harrison, Matthew Strohmeyer PublishedFebruary 2, 2022 Over the past two decades, the pace of innovation in the commercial space remote sensing industry has accelerated. The capabilities provided by commercial firms can be used to complement government space systems across a wide range of national security missions and fill in gaps in capabilities where the U.S. government has lagged. The challenge for […]
View Fly Me to the Moon: Worldwide Cislunar and Lunar Missions By Kaitlyn Johnson PublishedFebruary 15, 2022 Fly Me to the Moon examines planned cislunar and lunar missions over the next decade from countries around the world. This compilation showcases the growth of satellites, rovers, and experiments intended to extend humanity’s reach more firmly into cislunar space and on the Moon.
Battle Networks and the Future Force: Part 3 By Todd Harrison, Christopher Reid PublishedMarch 4, 2022 The Role of Allies and Partners This CSIS brief is the third in a series on the future of battle networks and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). The first brief in the series examined the importance of battle networks to modern military operations and presented a framework of five functional elements that make up a […]
Apr20 Tracking Developments in Counterspace Weapons Hosted ByCSIS Aerospace Security Project and Secure World Foundation Please join CSIS’s Aerospace Security Project and the Secure World Foundation as they discuss tracking developments in counterspace weapons. The conversation is on the heels of reports published by each organization, the Space Threat Assessment 2022 and Global Counterspace Capabilities Report.
View Save the Last Dance for the International Space Station By Zhanna Malekos Smith PublishedJune 2, 2022 Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, space ties between Russia and the United States have shown signs of unraveling.
View Low Orbit, High Stakes: All-in on the LEO Broadband Competition By Makena Young, Akhil Thadani PublishedDecember 14, 2022 Commercial LEO broadband efforts are providing access to the internet from space. With the potential to bridge the ‘Digital Divide’ and a worldwide market, competition between companies is heating up
View U.S. Space-Based Nuclear Command and Control: A Guide By Marie Villarreal Dean PublishedJanuary 13, 2023 The United States has long depended on a vast array of complex sensing and communications infrastructure to receive warning in the event of a nuclear attack and to execute nuclear orders. This command and control network is highly reliant on space-based assets to operate and provide dependable information to decision makers in the event of […]
View Featured Space Threat Assessment 2023 By Kari A. Bingen, Kaitlyn Johnson, Makena Young, John W. "Jay" Raymond PublishedApril 14, 2023 This resource for policymakers and the public leverages open-source information to assess key developments in foreign counterspace weapons. Drawing on six years of collected data and analyses, this series describes trends in the development, testing, and use of counterspace weapons and enables readers to develop a deeper understanding of threats to U.S. national security interests in space. The past year was dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where space capabilities, including commercial satellites, played a highly visible and compelling role in Ukraine’s resistance to the invasion. Thus, this year’s featured analysis provides an in-depth look at Russia’s battlefield employment of counterspace weapons.
