OSC Joins UAE Trade Mission and Abu Dhabi Space Debate

Posted on Posted in International Cooperation, SSA/STC Tagged with ,

In December 2024, 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. Learn more about the vision here.