Planetary defense represents a unique socio-ethical and legal challenge being simultaneously everyone’s responsibility and no one’s. A robust planetary defense strategy depends not only on developing technological capabilities but balancing regional and global political interests and creating a “mandate to act” in the case of an impact hazard. Planetary defense activities have the potential to...
Keywords: Planetary Defense Ethics, Extramilitary Domain
Age-old concepts of sovereign military power have traditionally transferred into new physical and technological domains (e.g., air, undersea, electromagnetic spectrum) to create security. However, some recent emerging threat domains have been excluded from nations’ military responsibility. Two current examples are cyber security and...
Keywords: Planetary Defense, Post-SDGs, fundamental connection, the Year 2025, Apophis,
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted unanimously by United Nations member states at the General Assembly in September 2015, represent a set of international goals aimed at creating a sustainable and better world by 2030. Considering the significance of the SDGs, several space-related...
Keywords: planetary defense, reconnaissance mission, asteroid impact, NEOs
If an asteroid or comet is found on a potential Earth-impact trajectory, a top priority should be to reduce uncertainties in whether the object will impact the Earth and in the potential consequences of the possible impact. Ground- and space-based telescopes will provide essential data for reducing some...
In 2018, a scandal in the space industry raised legal questions that still concern the legal community today. In January of that year, a US start-up launched four Cube satellites using an Indian rocket without holding an FCC license to use communications technology on these satellites. While this illegal use of the satellites was ultimately punished with a $900,000 civil penalty, it...