22. Theresa Hitchens: Space Resources, Space Militarization, Weapons, Norms, SciFi, Humans as a Migratory Species & The Expanse as a Cautionary Tale

Space Strategy

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Theresa Hitchens, space pundit, NATO and nuclear war expert, former UN diplomat, and now space reporter for Breaking Defense. They discuss her essay, "How ‘The Expanse’ Is A Cautionary Tale For Real World Space Commercialization," exploring its parallels to current commercial space development and regulation, and parallels to history. Next, they address the utility of science fiction to strategy, and why strategists should read scifi. They cover the benefits space brings to understanding our reality, to economic benefits today, to future economic benefits from space resources, the human need as a migratory species to expand and explore and to ensure survival. They outline the importance of sustaining space as a resource for human betterment; avoiding conflict that may be unnecessary over resources, dampening tensions and misunderstandings among nation states. Additionally, they detail the PRC's space weapons program and the utility of norms. They also discuss Space Force, 'warfighting,' military space doctrine, nuclear deterrence, SDI, norms and commercial regulation. Finally, they close by talking about opportunities before the National Space Council and Space Force / USSPACECOM leadership to address current problems as well as shape the far future.

Theresa:
https://breakingdefense.com/2019/04/theresa-hitchens-joins-breaking-d-just-in-time-for-space-symposium/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-hitchens-2b0883107/

Theresa's Journalism at Breaking Defense:
https://breakingdefense.com/author/thitchens/

To Boldly Go:
https://www.casematepublishers.com/to-boldly-go.html#.YXbEmtnMLX0

Strategy Strikes Back
https://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Strikes-Back-Explains-Military/dp/1640120335

Winning Westeros
https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Westeros-Explains-Military-Conflict/dp/1640124810
UNIDIR
https://unidir.org/

Forwarding Multilateral Space Governance: Next Steps
https://cissm.umd.edu/research-impact/publications/forwarding-multilateral-space-governance-next-steps-international

CISSM:
https://cissm.umd.edu/

OST:
https://www.unoosa.org/pdf/gares/ARES_21_2222E.pdf

Chinese test of a FOB?:
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/10/questions-linger-over-chinas-reported-hypersonic-space-weapon-test/