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11 March 2021

King's to hold first ever in conversation event between UK's leading space commanders

Paul Godfrey, the inaugural commander of the newly established Space Command will discuss with Harvey Smyth, Ministry of Defence Director Space, the future of UK military in space.

Harv and Godders colab
Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey and Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth

The Freeman Air and Space Institute in the School of Security Studies, King's College London, in partnership with Airbus, are holding the first ever in conversation event between the UK’s leading space commanders on Tuesday 23 March.

This will be the first time the inaugural commander of the newly established UK Space Command, Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, speaks in public, as he discusses with Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, Ministry of Defence Director Space, their vision for the future of UK military in space.

Space power is critical both to the UK’s national security and prosperity, at a time when the threat of space warfare is an ever more important challenge. Nations who have dominated the space domain, such as the US, India and China, are seeing competition from emerging space nations as well as from commercial enterprises. The creation of Space Command demonstrates the importance the UK attributes to the role of space in terms of future threats and opportunities.

Space Command is launching on 1 April and will bring together three functions under a single 2-Star military commander: space operations, space workforce generation and space capability. The event will see the commanders discuss the future development of Defence Space and this new wing of the military, at an important moment in the future of British space power.

This online event will take the form of a ‘fireside chat’ between the two commanders, followed by questions from an invited panel of defence and space professionals. 

Dr Sophy Antrobus, Research Associate at the Freeman Institute, who will chair the event, said:

“With the establishment of the inaugural UK Space Command as a new wing of the military, this is an exciting time for the development of UK space power.

“I’m delighted the Freeman Air and Space Institute has the privilege to host this unique event in partnership with Airbus, given our mission dedicated to furthering knowledge and understanding of air and space defence issues. We look forward to welcoming the two Air Vice-Marshals’ to our virtual event in order for them to share their visions for UK space power with a public audience for the first time ever.’

The event is open to everyone, you can Register via Eventbrite.

The Freeman Air and Space Institute, based in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London, provides independent, original knowledge and understanding of air and space issues. Sign up to the mailing list for updates.

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