OSC Joins UAE Trade Mission and Abu Dhabi Space Debate
Participated in Panel Discussion on Space Situational Awareness
Earlier this month, the Office of Space Commerce’s Gabriel Swiney and Mariel Borowitz joined key U.S space diplomacy efforts in the United Arab Emirates.
First, OSC participated in a U.S. space trade mission to UAE, organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The delegation visited the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai, engaging with international partners and the UAE space sector in preparation for the Abu Dhabi Space Debate on December 10-11.
At the Space Debate, OSC heard perspectives from legacy and emerging space partners from around the world and contributed to the discussion. Mariel Borowitz participated in a panel discussion titled “Decentralized Space Situational Awareness: Balancing Free Access and National Security in Space.” The panel featured key industry leaders, including:
HE Dr. Eng. Mohammed Nasser Alahbabi, Senior Advisor, Space & Cyber Technologies, EDGE
Daniel Ceperley, COO & Co-founder, LeoLabs
Robbie Schingler, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Planet Labs
Moderator: Ryan Chilcote, Director, Ryan Chilcote Productions Ltd
The discussion explored critical topics around decentralized SSA, including mechanisms to share the consequential data for spaceflight safety. Specifically, Borowitz shared updates on the TraCSS initiative’s open data policy, emphasizing the role of data sharing and international cooperation in building a transparent and collaborative SSA framework.
Building the world’s most transparent SSA system is best done with friends and partners. OSC’s Global SSA Coordination Vision outlines an approach to improving space traffic management through international partnerships and transparent data-sharing agreements.
According to the OSC, as the United States is developing the TraCSS system, many other nations and organizations around the world are also developing or improving their own SSA capabilities. As these developments continue, the Office of Space Commerce is committed to maintaining an open and transparent system that enables global coordination with other SSA providers and ensures reliable and efficient services to global spacecraft operators.
However, much needs to be accomplished to move from the status quo to a future in which TraCSS is one of many national or regional SSA providers working in close coordination on a global level. We will continue to engage with close international partners to enable cooperation between national and regional SSA systems in operation or development around the world. Recognizing that space requires truly global cooperation, we will also seek to open lines of communication with nations operating SSA systems that have not traditionally coordinated their efforts with the United States.