1st annual space piracy conference will examine threats of orbital crime and smuggling

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Get ready for the First Annual Space Piracy Conference, set for early next year. Held by the Center for the Study of Space Crime, Policy, and Governance (CSCPG), the conference is a "two-day, invite only symposium that brings together experts prepared to review crime, piracy, and smuggling in space," according to its website.

"Be among the first to discuss mitigating space crime and piracy, from the perspectives of investment, space law, space policy, intelligence, and the military," notes the group.

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Risks of piracy

The CSCPG asks: What are the risks of piracy in space and solutions to this potentially devastating economic and legal problem?

"Now is the time to start thinking and talking about mitigating the threat of piracy in space," said Marc Feldman, Executive Director of the CSCPG. "As we like to say, and please forgive me, Leon Trotsky, but you may not be interested in space piracy, but space pirates are interested in you…"

Feldman, who has worked in the space venture sector for years, is co-author, with Hugh Taylor, of the soon-to-be published book "Space Piracy: Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit."

Threat to space commerce, national security

"While crime and piracy in space are at this point largely theoretical problems, our view is that now is the time to start thinking about the issue and discussing potential solutions," Taylor, publications director of the center, tells Space.com. "Space piracy is a threat to space commerce and national security."

"Any serious analysis and planning process for the future of space commerce, as well as space aspects of national security, needs to consider the threat of piracy," explains Gordon Roesler, a space system developer and retired US Navy Captain who serves as an advisor to the conference.

For more information on this event scheduled for next February, as well as the Center for the Study of Space Crime, Policy, and Governance (CSCPG), go to the center's website.