Space’s New Frontier: Why Laura Grego Says We Must Pay Attention
A Trillionaire Moment and a Changing Sky
Wanderstayfinder.com – Just three weeks after our conversation, SpaceX went public on the stock exchange, elevating Elon Musk to become the world’s first trillionaire. This financial milestone prompted me to revisit Laura Grego, the physicist I had encountered earlier that year. Her response was clear: ordinary people’s relationship with the cosmos is about to transform dramatically.
Grego, who currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and communicates with me via video call, carries an approachable warmth alongside genuine urgency. Unlike the bravado that often accompanies space discussions, she demonstrates remarkable humility. Her vision extends beyond mere technological achievement—she wants public understanding to match the pace of change.
People have to be aware of what is happening in space. Public knowledge has to catch up.
From Midwestern Roots to Space Policy
Our initial meeting took place in May, inside a tent situated in a sun-baked field along the Welsh borders. During that stage conversation, topics ranged from space debris hazards to how maritime law might extend beyond Earth. Grego’s journey into science began at university, where she deliberately chose the most challenging subject available—a decision she describes as “a very midwestern perspective.”
Her academic path led her to observational cosmology, a field she discovered she genuinely loved. This scientific work naturally merged with her activism, encompassing anti-war causes, workers’ rights, and racial justice. Today, she serves as research director for the Global Security programme at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The organization itself carries historical significance. Founded during the Vietnam War by American scientists appalled by how their government utilized scientific knowledge, the union channels research toward addressing environmental and social challenges. Grego views herself as continuing the legacy of Leo Szilard, who famously cautioned against deploying atomic weapons on Japan.
The Battle for Our Skies
When I asked Grego what the public should understand about space, her answer centered on the sheer scale of upcoming changes. She noted that while most people’s experience involves “looking at the stars and being full of wonder, full of connection with the universe,” that experience is shifting. The sky will soon host “tens of thousands more satellites, which would really change your relationship with what you see in the sky.”
SpaceX has formally requested authorization from federal regulators to deploy up to one million satellites into orbit. This ambitious plan represents a fundamental shift in how humanity interacts with space.
Space weapons, very much inspired by science fiction, maybe movies, things that would zip marines around in space and pew, pew, pew!
Rules of the Cosmic Domain
Despite the excitement surrounding commercial space ventures, Grego emphasizes that regulations already exist. Nearly every nation has ratified the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, establishing that space must serve peaceful purposes. The treaty prohibits placing nuclear weapons in orbit and prevents any country from claiming ownership of celestial bodies.
However, the treaty remains ambiguous regarding weapons passing through space or being positioned in orbit. Grego points out that space has functioned as a military domain since 1957, when Sputnik 1 launched. While technically a civilian object that simply transmitted beeping signals, it represented a powerful geopolitical statement about technological superiority.
The connection between space and military capability runs deeper than most realize. Rocket launchers share fundamental similarities with intercontinental ballistic missiles. Once nations developed functional ICBMs, placing nuclear warheads on them became straightforward. These missiles travel through space for most of their journey—since the atmosphere thins out at approximately 100 kilometers, and ICBMs traveling 10,000 kilometers spend the majority of their flight time above this boundary.
This proximity to space enabled another critical military function: monitoring rival nations through overflights. Countries could observe each other’s missile counts and troop movements without violating atmospheric airspace restrictions. As Grego explains, this surveillance capability proved essential for enforcing arms control agreements.
Today, with new administrations approaching warfare with flexibility reminiscent of video game rule-making, the challenges of maintaining space governance have grown more complex. The question remains whether humanity can preserve the peaceful character of space as commercial interests reshape our relationship with the cosmos.
