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Space Alert Volume V, Issue 2 – April 2017

ORF Quarterly on Space Affairs

CONTENTS FROM THE MEDIA

COMMENTARIES  PSLV-C37 Successfully Launches 104 FROM THE MEDIA Satellites in a Single Flight Why National Space Policy Matters  TeamISRO’s Indus Mars To Send Mission Seven Successful,Experiments IndiaTo By Brian Weeden TheMakes History Including Three From IndiaISRO to The true value in developing a national space  launchISRO satellites Inks Deal in withtie-up with industriesfor Space policy may raise more from the process by  BangladeshIndia Offers to Join Outer 's Space South ExpertiseAsia Satellite to which it is created, and the experiences of InitiativeBangladesh those who participate in the process, than what  HughesU.S. Targets Dismisses Suburban Space U.S. Weapons Customers Treaty With exists on the paper at the end. FasterProposal Satellite as “Fundamentally Internet Service Flawed”

Revitalising Europe-India Strategic  SpaceXNASA to transport Plans to 2 paying Send customers Submarine around to Partnership: The Role of Space moonSaturn’s Moon  China to launch first high-throughput OPINIONS AND ANALYSIS By Marco Aliberti in April There appears to be much scope and  AsiaSat says booming regional economies opportunities to unfold in space cooperation outweigh oversupply fears between Europe and India, which in turn NEW Dubai PUBLICATIONS space centre in MoU with would bolster the overarching objective of deepening further the relationship and OPINIONS AND ANALYSES realising the full potential of India-EU NEW PUBLICATIONS Strategic Partnership. Report and videos of the 3rd ORF Kalpana Chawla The Significance of an Indian Direct Ascent Annual Space Policy Dialogue, February 2017 Kinetic Capability By Kartik Bommakanti It would demonstrate that India can match EDITORIAL BOARD China’s capabilities and can be a potent means to reinforce deterrence both on land and in Editor: Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan space, thereby influencing China’s assessment of risk and cost. Associate Editor: Vidya Sagar Reddy

1 Why National Space Policy Matters and agreements by which a country is bound. National policy can be established explicitly Brian Weeden through formal decision-making processes such as intra-governmental committees or National space policy is an increasingly legislation, and may or may not be disclosed popular topic, yet one that can still be publicly. Policy can also be established mysterious even within the space world. The implicitly through a choice to not pursue a term “policy” in the space world often gets particular path, and can be manifested through defined as “everything that’s not engineering cultural or ideological contexts that impact or law,” but public policy is actually a well- decision-making and choices. In countries defined field in and of itself. This short article with a separation between executive and provides an overview of the importance of legislative powers, policy may not be public policy and space, the value formal and consistent, and may even be contradictory. declared space policy can have, and why the increasing number of countries establishing Developing a formal national space policy can national space policy is an overall positive have several benefits. First, it can serve to trend for the world. define the rationale and objectives for why a country is conducting space activities, which To understand why space policy is important, could boost internal political support for we must first understand why public policy funding and resources, and also provide a itself matters. In the context of government, signal to other countries. Second, national public policy can be broadly defined as why, space policy can also define the principles by how, and to what effect governments pursue which a country will conduct its space particular courses of action or inaction in activities, which can reaffirm or demonstrate a dealing with important issues. Public policy country’s adherence to international decisions often involve weighing the potential agreements and treaties. positive and negative impacts of multiple competing options. Third, national space policy can be used to delineate roles, responsibilities, and The decision-making process is further coordination mechanisms between federal complicated by the participation of many agencies and departments to implement a different interest groups and political actors country’s national obligations under who have competing perspectives in the international law, such as radiofrequency decision-making process. And it can often be spectrum licensing. Fourth, national space difficult to enumerate explicit costs and policy can link space activities and programs benefits of various policy options, which to broader national policy goals, such as limits the ability to make a purely rational foreign policy, economic and trade policy, or decision. science, technology and innovation (STI) policy. Public policy on space can be established through many different methods, several of The United States has the longest track record which may be interacting at the same time. for creating declared public policy on space. One way of establishing policy is through the The first U.S. national space policy was issued international, bilateral, and multilateral treaties by the Eisenhower Administration in 1959,

2 and established many of the principles and security issues, could serve as a transparency positions that continue to influence U.S. space and confidence-building measure that helps policy today. Most of the following reduce tensions and the possibility of conflict presidential administrations have issued either on Earth extending into space. their own national space policy, or policy directives on specific issues or sectors, such as The caution is against countries trying to anti-satellite weapons or commercial space. In mimic the way the United States does space most cases, the presidential policy decisions policy in a manner that conflicts with their were made as the output of a months-long, unique national character. While there are formal interagency process between the certainly some overlaps between the interests various agencies and departments that have an of many spacefaring countries, each country in interest in space. the world has their own unique set of governance principles and mechanisms, Thus, the details of “presidential” space policy cultural traditions and norms, and interests. often reflect the interests and priorities of the Thus, establishing a process to develop bureaucracy more than the personal interests national space policy that simply copies the or policies of the president. Each presidential way it is done in the United States, without administration has also made their own accounting for the differences between adjustments to the process, with some opting countries, is likely to fail or produce a less- to establish a separate decision-making body than-ideal result. or process specific to space, and others choosing to use existing national security Similarly, countries should strive to develop processes for space policy. policies that truly reflect their own national interests and needs, and have strong buy-in Over the last several years, many other from all relevant national entities, than countries have developed, or have begun policies that repeat language or concepts used developing, their own national space policy. by other countries. The true value in This trend is useful, but also deserves some developing a national space policy may raise caution. One advantage of the spread of more from the process by which it is created, declared national space policy is that it helps and the experiences of those who participate in bolster expertise and decision-making the process, than what exists on the paper at processes within countries on space issues. the end. The increased capacity might help to lubricate multilateral discussions and debates on space by enabling more countries to participate and contribute in a substantive manner. Dr. Brian Weeden is the Director of Program Planning for Secure World Foundation, and Another advantage is that the spread of former U.S. military officer. He can be national space policies could help boost reached at [email protected] national space programs and industries, which could in turn improve global space capabilities that could help solve broader global (Back to Contents) challenges. A third advantage is that declared national space policy, particularly on national

3 Revitalising Europe-India Strategic commitment alone will not suffice to achieve Partnership: The Role of Space the full potential of this partnership.

Marco Aliberti Actionable policy measures and new cooperative efforts in key areas of mutual In November 2004, the (EU) interests are imperative if the two parties are and India officially launched their Strategic to re-energise their relations. Among the Partnership. Despite initial enthusiasm, various playing fields that could be ripe for a abundant affinities, and a genuine desire to new level of mutually beneficial cooperation, interlink the sound economic relations with space figures as a very promising and effective geopolitical considerations, over the past ten one. To be sure, Europe already has a years the partnership has proved unable to longstanding record of space cooperation with match words with deeds, failing not only to India through national space agencies like the develop a real strategic (i.e. security and French Centre National D’Études Spatiales defence-related) dimension, but also to receive (CNES), which is one of ISRO’s most sufficient political attention from both sides. important partners, as well as international organisations like the Largely absorbed by their own internal (ESA) and the European Organisation for the problems and immediate neighbourhoods, Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites both the EU and India have dismissed the (EUMETSAT). importance and potential of their political relations. While extensive policy dialogue and Additionally, the EU has already put an consultations at ministerial and expert level institutional framework in place regarding have been held on a variety of political issues, cooperation on space matters with India. these have generally been “long on abstract Space technology was, in fact, listed among political objectives, but short on specifics and the sectors of dialogue and cooperation within deliverables”. Trade and investments have the Joint Action Plan of 2005. This remained the primary focus. cooperation, however, did not eventually take- off because of the disappointing experience But, here too, the relation seems to have with the Galileo programme for global become hostage to the stalled negotiations on satellite navigation, from which India a Free Trade Agreement, despite the EU being eventually withdrew due to the EU’s internal India´s top trading partner. As a result, much struggles. cooperation potential has remained untapped. Today, following the 13th Summit of 2016 At the latest EU-India Summit of 30 March and the parallel adoption of the EU-India 2016, the President of the European Agenda of Action 2020 as a common roadmap Commission, of the European Council and to jointly guide relations on a broad range of India’s Prime Minister strongly committed to issues including space, there is new impetus to give new momentum to their bilateral ties boost cooperation in the field and to integrate endorsing a vision document to jointly guide all European space competencies and and strengthen the India-EU Strategic experience within the political framework of Partnership in the period 2016-2020. But EU-India relations.

4 While space is only one of the issue-areas More broadly, when considering the role of where the EU and India have pledged to re- space in boosting India-Europe relations, an energise cooperation, it can nonetheless serve analogous line of reasoning could certainly as a catalyst for achieving a plethora of shared apply to most of the issue-areas the EU and policy objectives. Indeed, for each of the India have committed to working on together, “sector policy cooperation” identified by the including the recently launched EU-India Agenda 2020 namely Climate Change, Urban Water Partnership, the Resource Efficiency Development, Research & Innovation, Initiative or even global security issues like Information and Communication Technology, terrorism, piracy, climate change and natural Energy, Environment, Transport, and the 2030 disasters. Sustainable Development Goals, it is evident that space assets and related applications can Indeed, while most of the cooperation between play significant role in achieving these Europe and India would understandably focus objectives. Thanks to its unique transversal on civilian ventures, it is important to qualities, space provides a wide range of acknowledge that space might also act as an opportunities for closer EU-India cooperation. enabler for the establishment of more tangible cooperation schemes in the field of security. For instance, in the field of urban development the EU and India could explore the potential In their joint statement of 30 March 2016, the contributions offered by space assets in the EU and India expressed their resolve to creation of “smart cities dashboard solutions” deepen security cooperation and work towards for enhancing the quality of urban planning tangible outcomes with respect to counter- and situational awareness through the terrorism, counter-piracy, maritime security, integration of Earth Observation, Navigation non-proliferation and disarmament; all areas and Telecommunications services. of increased interest to both actors and their Interweaving space cooperation with that of respective space programmes. urbanisation would not only provide innovative solutions to meet the policy The sharing of space-based information for objectives set for both fields, but also security purposes could hence be an ideal contribute to better partnering in the instrument to contribute addressing these implementation of flagship initiatives being shared security objectives and further the promoted by the Indian Government such as scope of India-EU strategic partnership, the 100 Smart City Mission and the ARMUT especially in today’s digital and data-centric (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban world, where the flow and depth of available Transformation) programme. intelligence has become more crucial than ever. In addition, such cooperation would arguably have positive spill-over effects on other policy By the same token, security of space could be areas, opening-up valuable opportunities for well primed to become an area of fruitful cooperating on research and innovation and policy dialogue and cooperation. Europe and for creating business solutions as well as new India have expressed a number of shared start-up companies within such frameworks as views and concerns about the safety and the “Start-up Europe India Network” or the stability of the space environment. Therefore Horizon 2020-funded GNSS Asia programme. adding an agenda item on space security in the

5 new EU-India Foreign Policy and Security Consultations would serve mutual benefits. Such policy dialogue would be particularly important considering the increasing relevance space assets have for both actors as well as the ongoing inclusion of security-related objectives within the realm of India’s space policy.

Further, as the experience of the defunct Code of Conduct for Activities clearly shows, proactive diplomatic engagement with like-minded partners is necessary for attaining consensus on norms regulating responsible space behaviour. Teaming up with India through bilateral level consultations and in multilateral fora like the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space could prove key to advancing new normative solutions on the international stage.

In conclusion, there appears to be much scope and opportunities to unfold in space cooperation between Europe and India, which in turn would bolster the overarching objective of deepening further the relationship and realising the full potential of India-EU

Strategic Partnership.

Marco Aliberti is Resident Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), Vienna, Austria. He can be reached at [email protected]

(Back to Contents)

6 The Significance of an Indian Direct easing a Chinese attack against Indian space- Ascent Kinetic Capability based assets and the ground nodes. Logical and justifiable optimism could also lead China Kartik Bommakanti to attack, if India unduly or unilaterally subjects itself to self-imposed constraints. Should India build a direct ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) capability to ward off space coercion? What do we make of the argument that India The answer to this question requires reasoned might fall prey to self-deterrence in that New analysis. China obviously retains an edge over Delhi for some reason is inhibited from India because it has a proven capability. This employing its counter-space capabilities in is not merely an esoteric debate about response to a Chinese attack against Indian deterrence and compellence, but the value a space assets? The concept of self-deterrence is weapons system like a direct ascent ASAT ultimately not analytically useful, simply bequeaths to India. because it is the actual retaliatory capability of one side that deters an opponent. It is invaluable in the context of the Sino- Indian conflict dyad. Their disputatious If self-deterrence stymies India from using boundary relationship is what renders weapons in retaliation targeting China’s imperative an Indian kinetic ASAT capability. ground-based space segments and space-based China today can launch a ground war and use assets, why should not the same be operative the space medium accompanied by kinetic for China? Is China not bound by the same capability without suffering the prospects of uncertainties, risks, costs and consequences of significant countervailing costs and risks. a space war or even a limited space war as India? While no space war has occurred, its Deterrence and compellence are two sides to closest analogue is nuclear war. After all, it is the coercive balance. Deterrence is dissuasive, the uncertainty of losing control that makes whereas compellence is persuasive. nuclear war unthinkable and has prevented its Deterrence represents the negative side of outbreak all these decades, because coercion and compellence the positive side of belligerents lack the capacity to control its coercion. For deterrence and compellence to escalatory dynamics, tempo and the have any credibility in the India-China space destructive consequences following an dyad, New Delhi will require a potent exchange. retaliatory capability. A space war between India and China could Foremost, a potent Indian ASAT capability escalate from non-kinetic attacks to kinetic will denude opportunities for China to threaten attacks, which very likely will be tied to land India’s space infrastructure and gives New engagement. Indeed the destruction of two or Delhi the opportunity to limit the means and three Indian satellites by China and a matching the ends that Beijing pursues in conflict response by India might halt any further against India. Otherwise, space deterrence that attacks in the space domain. Yet we cannot is inextricably linked to terrestrial deterrence presume that escalation can be controlled between India and China will remain fragile. through the exercise of restraint by both sides. Thus, the risks are substantial in the absence Therefore, even a limited space war could get of Indian ASAT capability. False optimism out of hand. As the nuclear strategist, Thomas could lead India to underprepare, thereby

7 Schelling put it: “The idea is simply that a terrifying military instrument in use and a limited war can get out of hand by degrees”, credible means to deter China. without allowing it to descend into an all-out war. The same applies with a potential space Publicly, it would demonstrate that India can war. New Delhi will have to emphasize a match China’s capabilities and can be a potent shared risk following the outbreak of means to reinforce deterrence both on land and hostilities and a proven and tested ASAT in space, thereby influencing China’s weapons system allows it. assessment of risk and cost. India’s strategic managers and decision-makers can be bold on Indeed, China has to consider and anticipate this front by conducting different types of the costs and risks of losing control of a space ASAT tests. In addition to the ground war and the space medium playing a launched ASAT weapon tests, India could also significant part in surface operations against opt to design and test air and sea launched India. Therefore, the balance of resolve also ASAT weapons. India can prepare sequenced plays an important role in deterring and execution of the tests as and when there is an contesting China’s moves. For New Delhi, the opportunity. These tests can be conducted purpose must be to emphasize risk as much as against India’s obsolescent satellites much like cost. Notwithstanding the remote possibility of China in 2007 and the U.S. in 2008. space war tied to a Sino-Indian land war, a strategy predicated exclusively on exploiting This will require considerable political will if the risks inherent in uncertainty is necessary, an actual Indian ASAT capability is to be but insufficient. realised. There is no scope or reason for New Delhi to dither and vacillate when China’s As long as China continues its development of space military power is on an inexorable space capabilities, India cannot but pay march. attention to the improvement of its own space military capabilities. Deterrence requires a defence effort or a build-up, otherwise it will Kartik Bommakanti is an Associate Fellow at lose credibility and lead opponents of an Observer Research Foundation. He can be Indian ASAT capability to justify that the reached at [email protected] entire effort unnecessary.

Therefore, a direct ascent ASAT is a very potent and an active measure and therefore can be developed and tested. Its value derives not (Back to Contents) only from its military utility, but equally from its psychological effect. It gives India the capacity to escalate asymmetrically, which actually may very well reinforce space and terrestrial deterrence. There are virtually no defences against a direct ascent ASAT targeting a spacecraft, which makes it a

8 FROM THE MEDIA

PSLV-C37 Successfully Launches 104 their experiments to the lunar surface in our Satellites in a Single Flight spacecraft," said a TeamIndus statement.

In its thirty ninth flight, the PSLV-C37 Source: Huffington Post, March 16, 2017 successfully launched the 714 kg -2 Series Satellite along with 103 co-passenger India can Develop Space Station, says ISRO satellites. The total weight of all the 104 Chief satellites carried on-board PSLV-C37 was "We have all the capabilities to set up a space 1378 kg. station. The day the country takes the decision, Source: Press Information Bureau, February we will 'ok' the project. Just draw a policy and 15, 2017 provide us necessary funds and time," A S Kiran Kumar said. Smart Save: ISRO Successfully Saves Its Source: Times of India, February 20, 2017 Mars Mission Spacecraft From Eclipse

ISRO engineers began planning for the - India to Use Russian Isotope Products for tweaking operation soon after its orbit Chandrayaan-2 dynamics specialists predicted a long eclipse. JSC Isotope, a Rosatom enterprise, said that it The goal was to change the inclination of the supplied Radionuclide curium-244 (Cm-244) orbit to avoid the shadow zone, ISRO sources to the Physical Research Laboratory in Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said. Ahmedabad. The sources will be installed on Source: News, February 8, 2017 the Alpha X-Ray Spectrometer, which will analyse the lunar surface during CNES Supplying Cameras to Indian X Chandrayaan-2. Prize Team, Talks Reusability with ISRO Source: Russia and India Report, February 14, The French space agency, CNES, will supply 2017 two spacecraft cameras to a team from India competing for the Lunar X Prize, and ISRO Commissioned Hypersonic Wind has formed a working group with ISRO to Tunnel at VSSC study reusable launch technology. This is the world's third largest hypersonic Source: SpaceNews, January 10, 2017 wind tunnel, next only to the ones in the US and Russia. These facilities will help in the Team Indus to Send Seven Experiments to launch of aerospace vehicles at hypersonic The Moon Including Three From India speed and to reduce the cost of access to space with future reusable launch vehicles. "Teams Callisto, Ears and Kalpana from India, Space4Life from Italy, Lunadome from Source: Times of India, March 21, 2017 Britain, Killa Lab from Peru and Regolith Revolution from the US have qualified to fly

9 to Join India's South Asia FCC Gets Five New Applications for Non- Satellite Initiative geostationary Satellite Constellations

Bangladesh has signed an agreement with Five companies - SpaceX, OneWeb, Telesat, India to formally join New Delhi's 'South Asia O3b Networks and Theia Holdings - all told Satellite' initiative, through which the Indian the FCC they have plans to field constellations Space Research Organization (ISRO) will of V-band satellites in non-geosynchronous launch a communication satellite for serving to provide communications services in the South Asia region. the United States and elsewhere.

Source: News18, March 24, 2017 Source: SpaceNews, March 2, 2017

Japan's Space Agency Hopes to Swiftly Former Boeing Executive to Lead Virgin’s Relaunch its Minirocket Smallsat Launch Venture

Japan's space agency announced a plan to Virgin Orbit is part of the portfolio of relaunch its SS-520 minirocket, which failed companies within the Virgin Group known as during launch in January to meet demand from Galactic Ventures, which also includes Virgin the public and private sectors to increase the Galactic and its manufacturing arm, The use of civilian products in the space industry. Spaceship Company.

Source: Nikkei Asian Review, March 9, 2017 Source: SpaceNews, March 2, 2017

Progress Underway for First Commercial New NASA Radar Technique Finds Lost Airlock on Space Station Lunar Spacecraft

“We want to utilize the space station to expose "We have been to detect NASA's Lunar the commercial sector to new and novel uses Reconnaissance Orbiter and the ISRO’s of space, ultimately creating a new economy Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft in lunar orbit with in low-Earth orbit for scientific research, ground-based radar," said Marina Brozovic, a technology development and human and cargo radar scientist at JPL and principal transportation.” investigator for the test project.

Source: NASA, February 6, 2017 Source: NASA, March 9, 2017

U.S. STRATCOM, Belgium Sign Space Hughes Targets Suburban U.S. Customers Situational Awareness Agreement With Faster Satellite Internet Service

U.S. Strategic Command agreed to share space Ramping up competition for faster internet- situational awareness data with Belgium under via-satellite links, EchoStar Corp.’s Hughes an agreement. “Our space systems underpin a Network Systems unveiled a new service wide range of services, providing vital projected to double the company’s residential national, military, civil, scientific, and broadband subscribers and substantially boost economic benefits to the global community,” business users within a few years. U.S. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten. Source: The Wall Street Journal, March 7, Source: SpaceNews, February 8, 2017 2017

10 Phase Four’s Smallsat Plasma Thruster Stephen Hawking Plans to Travel to Space Finds a Ride to Space "I thought no one would take me but Richard The propulsion system will be tested in late Branson has offered me a seat on Virgin 2017 on a Landmapper satellite built by Astro Galactic, and I said yes immediately," Digital, an Earth imaging and analysis Hawking was quoted as saying. company located at the NASA Ames Research Park, Moffett Field, California. Source: Times of India, March 21, 2017

Source: SpaceNews, March 7, 2017 Satellite-tracking Firm LeoLabs Opens for Business With $4 Million Banked Signs OneWeb as Second LeoLabs began operating a phased-array radar Customer for Reusable Rocket in Midland, Texas, in February. With data OneWeb has signed on as Blue Origin’s from the new Midland facility and a radar near second customer for its New Glenn orbital Fairbanks, Alaska, LeoLabs can track 94 . OneWeb has 21 percent of all objects 10 centimeters or larger launches booked with Arianespace, plus in . options for five additional Soyuz and three of the future 6 rocket. With Virgin Source: SpaceNews, February 27, 2017 Galactic, OneWeb has 39 missions with NASA 'Smallsats' Open Up New Planetary LauncherOne, the company’s air-launched Frontier vehicle. "There's an array of ideas that we're kicking Source: SpaceNews, March 8, 2017 around right now. So I think what we'll see in the next 10 or 15 years is that the smaller SpaceX to Transport 2 Paying Customers satellites will have their own way to be Around Moon implemented in planetary science that will be SpaceX founder Elon Musk said he's planning very complementary and we'll get some a private space mission, using a SpaceX rocket exciting science from them," Dr. Green said. to transport two paying passengers around the moon. Source: BBC, March 22, 2017

Source: Florida Today, February 27, 2017 China to Launch First High-Throughput communications satellite in April Blue Origin Teases Cargo Spaceship for a China plans to launch Shijian-13, its first high- Moon Base throughput communications satellite, in April. The founder of Amazon envisions setting up The 4.6-tonne satellite, with a message an Amazon-like shipment service with a cargo capacity of more than 20 GB, will be carried spacecraft capable of depositing up to 10,000 into orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket. pounds of supplies for a "future human settlement." Blue Origin is working to develop Source: Xinhuanet, February 17, 2017 the spacecraft in time for a maiden Chang'e-5 Sample Return Probe to Reach flight in 2020. Launch Site in Aug, Launch in Nov Source: Popular Mechanics, March 6, 2017

11 The complex mission will involve a number of A New SpaceX? China Developing System stages and components, involving lunar soft- to Recover, Reuse Space Rockets landing, collecting samples, ascent from the Moon, a docking in lunar orbit, heading home China is developing a system to recover parts and reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. of rockets used in space launches to bring down costs and make its space programme Source: GB Times, March 1, 2017 more commercially competitive, according to researchers involved in the project. Scientist Eyes Commercial Launch Centre Source: South China Morning Post, March 17, “These government-run launch centers are 2017 well developed, but they are too busy to handle the increasing demands from the AsiaSat Says Booming Regional Economies commercial space sector, and it is not Outweigh Oversupply Fears uncommon that even a government-assigned mission has to wait for arrangements at those Regional satellite operator AsiaSat of Hong sites,” said Hu Shengyun, a senior rocket Kong expects the high growth rates of several designer at the China Aerospace Science and Asian economies will outlast the current Industry Corp's Fourth Academy. oversupply of satellite capacity and will reinforce the operator’s business case in an Source: China Daily, March 16, 2017 increasingly crowded market.

China to Develop Space Rockets to Launch Source: SpaceNews, March 15, 2017 from Planes - State Paper Dubai Space Centre in MoU with South China will develop rockets that can be Korea launched into space from aircraft, a senior official told the state-run China Daily The Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre newspaper, as Beijing aims to send hundreds (MBRSC) has signed a Memorandum of of satellites into orbit for military, commercial Understanding with the Korea Aerospace and scientific aims. Research Institute (KARI) in South Korea with the goal of cooperating on various space Source: Reuters, March 7, 2017 related activities and transferring expertise.

China Launches 1st Commercial Space Source: Gulf News, March 6, 2017 Mission With New Rocket Senator Loren Legarda Proposes Philippine China today successfully sent three satellites Space Act into space in its first commercial mission using an updated version of the low-cost Senator Loren Legarda has proposed the -1A rocket. The rocket, carrying the Senate Bill No. 1259 or the Philippine Space satellite JL-1 and two XY-S1 and Act (PhilSA). Caton-1, blasted off from northwestern Source: International Business Times, January China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center 10, 2017

Source: Economic Times, January 9, 2017 (Back to Contents)

12 OPINIONS AND ANALYSES

Dean Cheng, “Responding to the Chinese Neil deGrasse Tyson, “The Case for Space: Space Challenge,” Heritage Foundation, Why We Should Keep Reaching for the January 6, 2017 Stars,” Foreign Affairs, January 6, 2017

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, “ISRO has Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, “Keep Government impressed; now for policy innovation,” Live And Commercial Space Operators Together,” Mint, February 23, 2017 Aviation Week, March 10, 2017

Ajey Lele, “China’s 2016 Space White Paper: Pedro Medelius, “Space business an economic An Appraisal,” Institute for Defence Studies engine for Florida,” Sun Sentinal, March 9, and Analyses, January 6, 2017 2017

Prashant G.N., “U R Rao: A portrait of the David Ignatius, “War in space is becoming a architect of India's space programme who real threat,” The Washington Post, March 16, stood up to the Russians and brooked no 2017 fools,” International Business Times, February 7, 2017 Tanya Harrison and Daniel Bednar, “Keeping an Eye on Climate Change,” Slate.com, March Brian Weeden, “Commercial space innovation 27, 2017 needs more government certainty,” SpaceNews, March 15, 2017 Sifelani Tsiko, “Looking skyward: Africa steps up efforts to tap space technology,” The Scott Pace, “Space is bigger than NASA,” The Southern Times, March 27, 2017 Hill, March 14, 2017 Julian Littler, “Space may soon have its first Jeff Foust, “SpaceX at 15,” The Space Review, undertaker – for satellites,” CNBC, March 17, March 13, 2017 2017

Debra Werner, “Is imagery the ‘killer app’ for Sarah Scoles, “The Race to Rule the High- smallsats?,” SpaceNews, March 8, 2017 Flying Business of Satellite Imagery,” Wired, March 28, 2017 Jeff Foust, “Lunar cause and effect,” The Space Review, March 6, 2017 Clay Dillow, “China's secret plan to crush SpaceX and the US space program,” CNBC, Zhang Ye, “India’s satellite launch ramps up March 28, 2017 space race,” Global Times, February 19, 2017 Srinivas Laxman, “Space: Where India’s Manoj Joshi and B.R. Srikanth, “India’s frugal efficiency and China’s ambitious vision Rocket Women,” Deccan Chronicle, February are set to clash,” Quartz India, February 27, 27, 2017 2017

Jeremy Hsu, “NASA Technology Fights Flight Delays,” Scientific American, April 2017 (Back to Contents)

13 NEW PUBLICATIONS

REPORTS / STATEMENTS / CHAPTERS / BOOKS / MONOGRAPHS / MULTIMEDIA OCCASIONAL PAPERS Global Trends: Paradox of , National Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan and Narayan Intelligence Council (U.S.), January 2017 Prasad (eds.), Space India 2.0: Commerce, An Interactive Look at the U.S.-China policy, security and governance perspectives Military Scorecard, RAND Corporation (Observer Research Foundation: New Delhi, February 2017) An Interview with Gen David L. Goldfein, Twenty-First Chief of Staff of the US Air Ajey Lele (ed.), Fifty Years of the Outer Space Treaty: Tracing the Journey (Institute for Force, Strategic Studies Quarterly Defence Studies and Analyses: New Delhi, Need policy initiatives to better integrate 2017) rd ISRO with industry, Report of the 3 ORF R. Aravamudan and Gita Aravamudan, ISRO: Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy A Personal History (Harper Collins: New Dialogue, February 16-18, 2017 York City, February 2017)

Videos of panel presentations, special Lisa Westwood et. al., The Final Mission: addresses and discussions of the 3rd ORF Preserving NASA's Apollo Sites (University Press of Florida: Florida, February 2017) Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue, February 16-18, 2017 Todd Harrison et. al., Implications of Ultra- Low-Cost Access to Space, Centre for JOURNAL ARTICLES Strategic and International Studies, March 2017 George Sariak, “Between a Rocket and a Hard Place: Military Space Technology and Stability in International Relations,”

Astropolitics, vol. 15, Issue 1, March 2017, pp. 51-64

Chandana Rohitha Rajapaksa and Jagath K. Wijerathna, “Adaptation to Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and Space Law,” Astropolitics, vol. 15, Issue 1, March 2017, (Back to Contents) pp. 65-76

Ian B. Perry, “Law of Space Resources and Operations on Celestial Bodies: Implications for Legislation in the United States,” Astropolitics, vol. 15, Issue 1, March 2017, pp. 01-26

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