The Space Policy Pioneers Podcast · Science in Space

Space Security and a Space Policy Career in an NGO, with Jessica West

·41 min·3 clips

Today the information environment is overwhelming and chaotic -- especially with space, there is a lot of misinformation.

Jessica West's career path is the anchor here. She describes moving from international development at Global Affairs Canada into NGO research on technology, security, and governance in outer space, which gives the conversation a practical route into the field. The discussion stays measured. It treats the United Nations First Committee and the Open Ended Working Group as the key institutions for understanding how space security debates are organized, and where they often stall. The focus is institutional. West explains that the discussion she witnessed brought new issues to the table, including the harmful effects of military activities in space, and also brought in new actors who are not always present in these rooms. The table widened. Organizations such as her own and Secure World Foundation were able to participate, and the opening also made room for consultations with the International Committee of the Red Cross. That matters. Those additions gave the conversation a broader international shape, including voices rooted in international humanitarian law and a wider spread of state participation than is common in this kind of forum. The process was still difficult. West makes clear that the effort ended without a substantive agreement on an outcome document or even a procedural one, which keeps the limits of the moment visible. The episode does not dwell on disappointment. Instead, it frames the process as a foundation for continued talks, especially the narrower conversations expected to resume in 2025. Those next rounds are specific. West points to the topics that states rallied around and seemed more likely to treat as areas where progress might actually be possible. The policy stakes remain serious. The conversation links those talks to broader questions about national interests, international security, and the governance of a domain that increasingly matters to governments and civil society alike. The tone stays steady, which makes the episode useful for listeners who want to see how NGO expertise, diplomatic process, and career development intersect in space policy.

As heard by us

A measured look at space security governance and the policy career behind it.

Space security is framed here as an institutional problem rather than a slogan, which gives the discussion more weight than a usual policy chat.

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Why you'd press play

Want a guided entry into space policy careers and UN space security talks?

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