As humanity’s presence in space expands, so do the questions surrounding security, responsibility, and the future of international law. Is outer space still a peaceful domain, or has the weaponization of space already begun?
In this episode of NatSec EmTech’s Space Law series, Professor Laura K. Donohue sits down with Almudena Azcárate Ortega, Senior Program Analyst at Secure World Foundation and former fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDR).
Together, they explore the evolving reality of weaponization of outer space. While international treaties prohibit certain activities in space, there are still incidents of populating space with weapons including potential repurposing of a benign device into something that could be used to harm. As more nations and private actors enter the space domain, where should the line be drawn between peaceful use and hostile action? What happens when current capabilities such as direct descent, jamming, spoofing, or cyber operations, blur this distinction?
The conversation also revisits the Reagan Administration’s Strategic Defense Initiative, better known as “Star Wars” and examines how a vision once associated with science fiction continues to shape contemporary debates about missile defense, space security, and strategic deterrence.
Beyond conflict in orbit, we discuss a challenge that receives far less attention: what comes back down. Space launch vehicles do not always remain in space, and the risks created by falling rocket stages and debris are not shared equally. Why do the consequences of reentry often fall disproportionately on nations and communities far removed from the benefits of space activity? And who bears responsibility when objects launched into space return to Earth in unexpected places?
From nuclear weapons in orbit to the growing militarization of space infrastructure, this episode examines how existing legal frameworks confront the realities of an increasingly contested space environment.
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