Legacy of the Strategic Defense Initiative for Space Security

On September 23rd, the Center for Space Policy & Strategy and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute are co-hosting an event, titled Legacy of the Strategic Defense Initiative for Space Security, which will be held at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California and accessible online. 

As noted in a recent report by The Aerospace Corporation, current emphasis to create more resilient space networks by fielding greater number of small space assets resembles efforts led by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization starting in the 1980s. Space security developments from the Cold War, including Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative program, have had a lasting impact on national security space capabilities and debates. This event will examine these historical developments, including how they are influencing current programs and decisions. 

Speakers: 

• Caolionn O’Connell, Physicist and Principal Director within The Aerospace Corporation who has previously worked at RAND, Institute for Defense Analyses, and the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
• Anthony Eames, Director of Scholarly Initiatives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
• Aaron Bateman, Assistant Professor of History and International Affairs, who recently authored Weapons in Space: Technology, Politics, and the Rise and Fall of the Strategic Defense Initiative (MIT Press, 2024)