The Secure World Foundation Podcast

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ESG in Space Podcast | Karen L Jones | Episode 2 Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Navigating the Expanding Universe of the Space Economy with Karen Jones

Join us for the second episode of "ESG in Space," hosted by Nishan Degnarain and Miki Sode in partnership with Exponential Academy. This episode features Karen L. Jones, a senior project leader and space economist at The Aerospace Corporation, who brings deep insights into the evolving space economy. Karen discusses the critical role of satellite technology in supporting various industries—from telecommunications to environmental monitoring—and its convergence with future technological advancements like 6G networks.

In this conversation, Karen explores the complexities of space economy integration, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices as the number of satellites rapidly increases. She addresses the challenges of space debris management and the need for regulatory coherence to ensure safe and sustainable space operations.

Tune in to learn how space technology is not just about reaching new heights but also about grounding these advancements in sustainable practices that can support Earth's environmental and technological ecosystems.

Recorded Dec 6, 2024

ESG in Space Podcast | James Cemmell | Episode 1 Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to "ESG in Space," a groundbreaking series brought to you by the Secure World Foundation and Exponential Academy.

In this inaugural episode, join hosts Nishan Deeran and Mickey S.H. as they engage with James Cemmell, a seasoned space industry expert with a 17-year tenure shaping the sector's landscape. James explores the transformation of space from a government-dominated realm to a vibrant arena of private innovation and discusses the vital role of satellites in societal advancements across the globe.

With insights spanning from orbital mechanics to international collaborations, this episode offers a deep dive into the mechanisms that ensure space remains a sustainable and accessible frontier for future generations.

Tune in to explore how environmental, social, and governance factors intersect in the ever-evolving expanse of space.

Recorded October 7, 2024

Conversations on Investing & Space Sustainability Episode 4: Nishan Degnarain Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Episode 4's guest is Nishan Degnarain, the CEO of EXO Solutions and Former Chair, World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Oceans. In this conversation with Nishan, recorded on December 2nd, 2022, themes discussed include sustainability in comparison between the ocean and space domains, development of effective ESG strategies in new investment sectors; and the opportunities for growth in sustainable space activities.

Conversations on Investing & Space Sustainability Episode 3: Matthew Kuta Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Episode 2's guest is Matthew Kuta, the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Voyager Space Holdings. In this conversation with Matt, recorded on October 4th 2022, themes discussed include the increasing importance of ESG requirements for large investment capital sources; the possible role of ESG factors as a discriminator between companies in private equity investment decisions; and the challenges and outlooks for developing ESG practices and reporting for NewSpace companies.

Conversations on Investing & Space Sustainability Episode 2: Matt O'Connell Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Episode 2's guest is Matt O'Connell, Operating Partner at DCVC. In this conversation with Matt, recorded on August 26th, 2022, themes discussed include the links between sustainable operating practices in space and sustainable business results; the challenges of large constellations, and the need for improving information sharing as commercial space activities expand. The discussion also covers both the benefits and downsides of ESG motivations in the space sector.

Conversations on Investing & Space Sustainability Episode 1: Mark Boggett Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Episode 1's guest is Mark Boggett, CEO and Managing Partner of Seraphim. In this conversation with Mark, recorded on August 1st 2022, themes discussed include the contribution of ESG factors in driving investment activity; the ways in which venture capital funds can interact with portfolio companies to address sustainability; and the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for tracking investment outcomes.

Capacity-building for Space Sustainability: The role of government, industry and civil society Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

What are the most pressing challenges confronting governments, industry and civil society in terms of building capacity for implementing international space sustainability guidelines, and what steps should each of these three sectors prioritize to build such capacity? This panel of leading international experts shared their thoughts on how governments, industry and civil society can jointly build capacity in the space community to support the implementation of the international guidelines for space sustainability recently adopted by the UN. For more background information on these guidelines, see our SWF Factsheet.

Panelists

Government

Niklas Hedman, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, Austria
Andre Rypl, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil
Keren Shahar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel
David Turner, Department of State, United States

Industry

Aarti Holla-Maini, EMEA Satellite Operators Association, Belgium
Therese Jones, Satellite Industry Association, United States
Daniel Oltrogge, Space Safety Coalition, United States
Charity Weeden, Astroscale, United States

Civil Society

David Kendall, Outer Space Institute, Canada
Jean-Jacques Tortora, European Space Policy Institute, Austria
Guoyu Wang, Beijing Institute of Technology, China
Danielle Wood, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States

Examining the Socioeconomic Benefits of the International Space Station Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Secure World Foundation and the ISS National Labs co-hosted the first in a two-event series, one in the San Francisco Bay area and one in Washington, DC. This series is designed to highlight and examine the socioeconomic benefits of the International Space Station. Global efforts like the Sustainable Development Goals are benefiting from work being done on ISS but these activities have received little attention.

Speakers comprised a diverse group of ISS National Lab partners, data end-users, and government representatives who spoke to unique work that's being done, the observed or expected benefit on Earth, and the importance of maintaining the space environment to support this work.

Is Spectrum Shifting the Playing Field for the Weather Enterprise? Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

Many earth scientists unknowingly use special allocations of spectrum that are reserved for the collection and transmission of hydrometeorological data, particularly involving weather satellites. These allocations, for example, provide rebroadcasts of geostationary weather satellite imagery, transmit National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data to academic and industry partners, and enable passive microwave sensing of weather systems over the ocean. Data received through these allocations are paramount to achieving the best possible timeliness and quality of weather forecasts and warnings. Satellite observations of Earth's atmosphere are a major contributor to weather and climate research, and improve the predictions from numerical weather prediction models.

However, the spectrum allocations for meteorological observations and earth exploration is potentially becoming threatened from proposals to deploy 5G and other advanced networks in adjacent bands, introducing risk and uncertainty for longstanding remote sensing applications. Because scientists and other users of weather data do not typically follow the complex and technical government spectrum proceedings, there is limited advocacy from those who could be impacted most and could best convey the true value of certain spectrum allocations for science.

In order to illustrate the wide range of potential impacts to weather satellite observations and timely earth science data transmissions, this panel, at the 2019 Joint Satellite Conference, discussed various spectrum proposals and how they might impact earth science research and users of earth-observing satellite imagery and products. The panel will also explain the regulatory environment and challenges to a brokered discussion on the relative merits of competing needs for spectrum allocations. It was an opportunity to share information with an international audience of satellite experts across government, academic and private sector audiences. The timing occurred shortly after the close in public comments to the FCC on the NPRM related to GOES real time data access (1675-1680 MHz) and just prior to the start of the World Radio Conference where discussions will include the rules around the global deployment of 5G technologies, including spectrum resources closely adjoining passive remote sensing observations for numerical weather prediction (especially near 23.8 GHz).

Speakers:

Jordan Gerth, Physical Scientist, National Weather Service Office of Observations
Ryan Terry, Director, Regulatory Licensing and Policy, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Elliot Eichen, 2018-2019 IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow, and former Director of R&D, Verizon Communications
Dave Lubar, Senior Project Leader, Civil Spectrum Management, Civil Systems Group, The Aerospace Corporation

Session Co-chairs:

Renee Leduc, Founder & Principal, Narayan Strategy
Krystal Wilson, Director of Space Applications Programs, Secure World Foundation

More details, can be found at the event page on the SWF website.

Space Weather as a Global Challenge 2019 Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

Recorded in Washington, DC on September 26, 2019.

Since 2016, Secure World Foundation (SWF) has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to host multiple Space Weather as a Global Challenge events to facilitate discussions on the impacts of space weather across the globe, and plans to collaborate in observation, modeling, prediction, and mitigation of harmful effects. This year's Space Weather as a Global Challenge will be held in coordination with the Next Step Benchmarks Town Hall, an event that supports the U.S. National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan, on September 26, 2019.

The Next Step Benchmarks is an effort funded by NSF and NASA, and led by the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), that has gathered 32 of the world's leading space weather scientists to develop recommendations for improving the characterization of extreme space weather events. Initial characterizations of 1-in-100-year and theoretical maximum events for five space weather phenomena were described in the Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks report, released by the White House's National Science and Technology Council in 2018. The Next Step Benchmarks team is developing a public report that will provide recommendations to improve the estimates found in the Phase 1 report. The Town Hall will be an opportunity for the space weather community to provide feedback on proposed recommendations and priorities for studies, data acquisition, and long-term research that would improve the characterization of extreme space weather events.

Following the Town Hall, SWF and the U.S. Department of State hosted an evening panel discussion and networking reception to share the general outcomes of the Town Hall and other U.S. and international space weather initiatives.

Speakers

Jean-Luc Bald, First Secretary, Space Global Issues & Innovation Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America
Mark Harvey, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Resilience Policy, National Security Council Staff
Jeff O'Neil, Legislative Director, Office of Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-07)
Geoffrey Reeves, Research Fellow, Los Alamos National Lab
Moderator: Josh Wolny, Project Manager, Secure World Foundation

More details, including transcripts, can be found at the event page on the SWF website.

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