Space Settlement Symposium to examine regulation of outer space

Texas State University's 3rd Annual Space Symposium will host a roundtable discussion the United Nations Outer Space Treaty of 1967 as part of Innovation Week programming on September 27.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 7-9 p.m. in Centennial Hall Room 157. Innovation Week is part of the university-wide, year-long Common Experience theme of innovation at Texas State.

Currently, the 1967 treaty is the only regulatory agreement for the use of outer space. As more nations and private organizations innovate technology to access and pursue non-terrestrial resources, the question of how such innovation should be constrained and regulated in order to uphold the U.N. sentiment that "no one can own outer space" must be addressed. Discussion will include current regulatory practices of outer space and suggestions for future regulation.

Scheduled speakers and topics include:

• Christopher Brown, "The Problem of Space Junk"
• Carrie Crisp, "The Bindingness of U.N. Treaties"
• Eli Kanon, "Who Can Mount a Space Force?"
• Maximillien Vis, "How Space Forces Have Been Realized in Science Fiction Media"

The symposium will be hosted by Department of Philosophy and supported by the Departments of Political Science, International Studies, Geography, Sociology, Modern Languages and Psychology.

For more information, visit  www.txstate.edu/philosophy/other-programs/Symposia-and-Lectures/Space-Settlement-Symposium-.html.