{"id":369,"date":"2025-05-06T13:45:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T13:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/space-connect\/?page_id=369"},"modified":"2025-12-10T14:45:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:45:39","slug":"june-2025","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/space-connect\/june-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"E5 \u2013 Space Safety: Protecting the Future of Space Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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E5 \u2013 Space Safety: <\/strong>
Protecting the Future of Space Operations<\/strong><\/h1>\n \"Event\n
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5 June 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

14:30 to 16:30 CEST
Online participation<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Join us for an exclusive deep-dive into Space Safety, exploring the challenges and solutions shaping the sustainable future of space operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Our expert panel, joined by our academic in residence, will examine cutting-edge advancements in collision avoidance, debris mitigation, and international frameworks for responsible orbital behaviour. Learn how the industry is tackling the growing risks of orbital congestion and ensuring space remains a shared, sustainable resource.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Discover how innovative technologies, academic research, and global collaboration are safeguarding satellites, protecting infrastructure, and enabling the expansion of space activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Mark your calendar: June 5, 2025, from 14:30 to 16:30 CEST<\/strong>, for this insightful exploration of Space Safety, featuring our academic in residence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Agenda \u2013 Episode <\/strong>5<\/h2>\n<\/div> \n
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14:30 – 14:45<\/div><\/div>
Introduction<\/div>
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Presentation of the session and the panellists by the Moderator, Thomas Gonz\u00e1lez Roberts<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

14:45 \u2013 16:00<\/div><\/div>
Interactive Panel Discussion: Navigating the Intersection of Space Safety, Sustainability, and Security<\/div>
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Highlighting challenges and advancements in collision avoidance, debris mitigation, and responsible orbital behaviour<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Discussing how international collaboration and cooperation are shaping the future of space governance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Sharing real-world examples of successful practices and lessons learned for ensuring a safe, sustainable, and secure space environment<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

16:00 \u2013 16:30<\/div><\/div>
Audience Q&A Session<\/div>
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16:30<\/div><\/div>
Session Close<\/div>
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Speakers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>
\"Thomas
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Thomas Gonz\u00e1lez Roberts<\/h3>

Moderator<\/p>

ITU\u2019s Academic in Residence<\/p><\/div>

<div class="ituContainer">\n\nThomas Gonz\u00e1lez Roberts is an incoming Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nHe also currently serves as the International Telecommunication Union\u2019s first Academic in Residence. Using tools from observational astronomy and computational astrodynamics, Roberts studies the behavior of Earth-orbiting satellites to understand how space actors\u2014from superpowers to start-ups\u2014engage with outer-space governance.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nHis research interests include international coordination, sustainability, and security in space. Roberts\u2019 work has been supported by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nRoberts has earned numerous recognitions, including the Prize for Open Data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Geneva Centre for Security Policy\u2019s Prize for Innovation in Global Security, and a placement on Forbes Magazine\u2019s \u201c30 Under 30 in Science\u201d list.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nHe holds a PhD and SM in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT, an SM in technology and policy from MIT, and a BA in astrophysical sciences from Princeton University.\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Emmanuelle
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Emmanuelle David<\/h3>

Panelist<\/p>

Executive Manager<\/p>

EPFL Space Center<\/p><\/div>

<div class="ituContainer">\n\nEmmanuelle David is the executive director of EPFL Space Center at the Swiss Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne. The center launched in 2023 the sustainable space hub to foster an interdisciplinary research to measure, understand and act toward space sustainability.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nBefore joining EPFL in 2020, Emmanuelle has gathered more than 10 years\u2019 experience in space transportation in academia, agency and industry from pre-development projects up to launch operations. She holds aerospace Engineering degrees both from the University of Technology of Compiegne, France, and the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Xiao-Shan
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Xiao-Shan Yap<\/h3>

Panelist<\/p>

Assistant Professor of Innovation<\/p>

Utrecht University<\/p><\/div>

<div class="ituContainer">\n\nDr. Xiao-Shan Yap is Assistant Professor of Innovation and Global Governance at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences\u00a0at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Yap is Principal Investigator and the director of a five-year research program (2024 \u2013 2029) on \u2018Planetary stewardship in view of earth-space sustainability\u2019 (PLANETSTEWARDS), supported by a 1.5 million euro \u2018Starting Grant\u2019 from the European Research Council (ERC).\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nAn interdisciplinary social scientist, Yap focuses on the intersection of innovation and transitions, global governance, and development economics. She pioneered the concept of \u2018earth-space sustainability\u2019, which advocates for tackling challenges on Earth and in space in an integrative way as anthropogenic activities expand to outer space. In 2020, she founded \u2018Earth-Space Sustainability\u2019, the first science and policy initiative aiming at ensuring sustainable and functional earth-space systems in the future. In line with the initiative, she is also Co-Director of the Working Group on Earth-Space Governance\u00a0at the Earth System Governance Project, Chair of the \u20182024 Earth-Space Symposium\u2019, elected Co\/Vice-Chair of the EU COST Action \u2018Futures-oriented Governance of Outer Space: Towards Peace, Equity, and Environmental Integrity\u2019 (FOGOS), Senior Policy Advisor to the EPFL Space Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne in Switzerland, and (Co)Chair of Commons in Space\u00a0conference at the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC)\u00a0from 2022 \u2013 2023. Additionally, Yap is a senior member of the Steering Group at the Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN)\u00a0and serves on the Editorial Board of the leading journal Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"P
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P M Soundar Rajan<\/h3>

Panelist<\/p>

Group Director<\/p>

Defence Avionics Research – Establishment<\/p><\/div>

<div class="ituContainer">\n\nPM Soundar Rajan is\u202f a\u00a0pioneer and a leading expert in combat aircraft avionics by his peers from the Services and Aircraft Industry. Through the experience gained in the early eighties, with the development and evaluation of India\u2019s first Digital Avionics Upgrade, he contributed towards the development and Integration of LCA Avionics (1986 to 1995).\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nWith deep insight into HW and SW, he contributed towards development to deployment of COTS-based Mission Computers, Display Processors and Radar Computers for India\u2019s Multirole combat aircraft (1996 to 2002). Pioneering HW and SW reuse, he developed the Core Avionics Computer. He upgraded India\u2019s leading Attack aircraft without any help from the OEM (2002 to 2008).\n\n<\/div>\n<div class="ituContainer">\n\nDuring his tenure as Director, DARE he was instrumental in measures leading to self-reliance in the strategic area of avionics and airborne electronic warfare.\u202f\u202fDuring the nineties, he played a key role in setting the syllabus for the ME Avionics at Anna University\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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