How can space policy and management enhance space systems resilience?

Space systems resilience is the ability of a space system to withstand and recover from disruptions, threats, or challenges, such as natural hazards, orbital debris, cyberattacks, or hostile actions. Resilience is crucial for ensuring the continuity and effectiveness of space missions and services that support various domains such as security, communication, navigation, and science. However, resilience is not only a technical or operational issue, but also a policy and management issue. How can space policy and management enhance space systems resilience? Here are some possible ways.

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1 Align objectives and incentives

One way to enhance space systems resilience is to align the objectives and incentives of different actors involved in the design, development, operation, and use of space systems. These actors include government agencies, commercial entities, academic institutions, international partners, and end users. By aligning their objectives and incentives, these actors can foster a culture of cooperation, coordination, and communication that can facilitate the identification and mitigation of risks, the sharing and allocation of resources, and the adoption of best practices and standards.

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John Gordon

Space Industry Attorney | Techstars Mentor | Adjunct Professor
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Aligning objectives and incentives is key when obtaining licenses. A company must know what each agency is driven by in order to satisfy their requirements and ensure cooperation. For the FAA, it is public safety. For NOAA, it is national security. For the FCC, it is spectrum management and balancing the desires of private market and the needs of public institutions, like the military.

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2 Promote innovation and diversity

Another way to enhance space systems resilience is to promote innovation and diversity in the space sector. Innovation can lead to the development of new technologies, methods, and solutions that can improve the performance, reliability, and robustness of space systems. Diversity can refer to the variety of space systems, architectures, platforms, and services that can offer redundancy, flexibility, and adaptability in the face of uncertainties and changes. By promoting innovation and diversity, space policy and management can stimulate the creativity and competitiveness of the space sector and increase its capacity to cope with challenges.

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3 Balance autonomy and interdependence

A third way to enhance space systems resilience is to balance autonomy and interdependence among space systems and actors. Autonomy can provide the ability to operate independently and self-reliantly, without relying on external support or intervention. Interdependence can provide the ability to collaborate and coordinate with other systems and actors, leveraging their capabilities and resources. By balancing autonomy and interdependence, space policy and management can optimize the trade-offs between efficiency and redundancy, between isolation and integration, and between sovereignty and cooperation.

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4 Strengthen governance and norms

A fourth way to enhance space systems resilience is to strengthen governance and norms in the space domain. Governance refers to the rules, institutions, and processes that regulate the behavior and interactions of space actors. Norms refer to the shared expectations, values, and principles that guide the conduct and culture of space actors. By strengthening governance and norms, space policy and management can enhance the predictability, transparency, and accountability of space activities, reduce the potential for conflicts and disputes, and foster a sense of responsibility and stewardship.

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John Gordon

Space Industry Attorney | Techstars Mentor | Adjunct Professor
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Liability is so huge here. The same way the UCC makes a floor (in the form of contract gap-fillers) for businesses to understand where liability falls should the contract fail to adequately address the scenario, a framework guaranteeing this sort of liability fall-back on the world-wide scale in orbit is necessary to promote confidence in the market.

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5 Enhance learning and adaptation

A fifth way to enhance space systems resilience is to enhance learning and adaptation in the space sector. Learning refers to the ability to acquire, process, and apply knowledge and information from various sources and experiences. Adaptation refers to the ability to adjust, modify, and transform in response to changing conditions and feedback. By enhancing learning and adaptation, space policy and management can improve the understanding and awareness of the space environment and its dynamics, enable the evaluation and improvement of space systems and policies, and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can space policy and management enhance space systems resilience?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Align objectives and incentives

2 Promote innovation and diversity

3 Balance autonomy and interdependence

4 Strengthen governance and norms

5 Enhance learning and adaptation

6 Here’s what else to consider

Aerospace Engineering

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How can space policy and management enhance space systems resilience?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Align objectives and incentives

2 Promote innovation and diversity

3 Balance autonomy and interdependence

4 Strengthen governance and norms

5 Enhance learning and adaptation

6 Here’s what else to consider

Aerospace Engineering

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