Hypersonic Horizon: Space Law 201 with Col. Todd Pennington, U.S. Air Force, Retired, (former) Staff Judge Advocate USSPACECOM

As we move toward Space Law 201, Host Prof. Laura K. Donohue (Director, Georgetown Center for National Security) and Col. Todd Pennington, USAF (Ret.) explore the international principles shaping outer space and the power politics behind them.The episode examines the principle of the “free use and exploration of outer space” and what this freedom actually entails. It also explores the principle of international responsibility and traces its origins to Cold War strategic stability, when the United States and the Soviet Union were not only competing for technological dominance, but negotiating the very rules that would govern the cosmos.This conversation is not confined to history alone. It's also about what is coming next.With the New START Treaty expiring earlier this year, the episode explores what the collapse of the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia could mean for strategic stability, weapons in space, and the future of international security, and what role countries like India, Japan and China are playing in this space.The discussion also turns to one of the most urgent modern challenges in outer space: orbital debris. Thousands of objects now orbit the Earth including fragments of satellites, abandoned missions, and remnants of decades-old operations which raises questions regarding liability for damage. The key question, however, is if international law can keep pace with an increasingly crowded and contested space environment.This episode explores the legal foundations, strategic tensions, and emerging challenges at the heart of modern space governance. And much more.Want to be part of this conversation? Join the Center on National Security and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.