Session 6: Defending Space
Activity in the Space domain was initially spurred on by Cold War competition between the USA and USSR. Crewed spaceflight, overhead sensing and global space surveillance networks were limited to these two nations. Over time, many other countries have developed space programs and industries, including Australia. The UK, France, India, Japan, Canada, Israel and of course the PRC have all surged ahead with their space programs, as have commercial space services providers. Space has become an integral enabler of military operations across the land, maritime, air and cyber domains; from the space-based detection of ballistic missile launches, to overhead intelligence sensing and threat detection, to precision navigation and weapons targeting, to global secure communications. Space has also become increasingly contested, with competing powers such as the USA and the PRC developing plans to deny one another freedom of manoeuvre in Space. The Australian Defence Force is seized by the strategic imperatives underpinning a sovereign Space capability, and has recently announced the stand-up next year of a new Space Division. What is the current state of play in Australia as we look to “Defend Space” alongside our key global and regional allies? What are the challenges we must overcome, and what are the opportunities we need to seize? What are the social science impacts?
Moderator: Professor Paul Maddison, Professor of Practice, Vice-Admiral (Ret’d),UNSW Defence Research Institute
Panellists:
- Christine Zeitz, Northrop Grumman, Asia- Pacific
- Professor Russell Boyce, UNSW Canberra Space
- Air Commodore Philip Gordon, Air Defence and Space, Air Force Headquarters, Canberra