Upcoming Events

Webinar: SciFi and Space Piracy: How Imagination Can Drive Policy

Jul 24, 2025 01:00 PM  East Coast Time

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Science fiction creators have long imagined the perils of space piracy — nearly a century ago, Fritz Lang had crooks trying to steal gold from the Moon in “Frau Im Mond.” Today, however, sci-fi scenarios about space piracy are becoming realities. As policy makers, military planners, law enforcement, and members of the intelligence community grapple with this new threat, the science fiction community can come to their aid—as happened in World War II and the Cold War. The imaginations of creative artists can help anticipate the dangers of space piracy and suggest ways to mitigate the risks of crime in space. In this webinar, a panel of distinguished science fiction authors will discuss the threat of space crime and piracy as it has evolved from fantasy to pragmatic reality and what can be done about it.

You will learn:

– How pirates, criminal gangs, and other non-state actors may threaten the security of space commerce, financial ventures in space, and government space assets.

– How the fiction writing process can inform thinking about space crime and piracy scenarios and how to counteract them.

– How synergy among imagination, storytelling, and policymaking can mitigate the threat of space piracy.

Panelists:

• James Cambias, game designer and author of Outlaws and Aliens and numerous other SciFi titles

• Walter Jon Williams, author of numerous SciFi works, including Imperium Restored, Fleet Elements, and books of nautical fiction.

• Laura Montgomery, space lawyer and science fiction writer

• Geoffrey Landis, scientist at NASA John Glenn Research Center and SciFi author

• Allen Steele, sci-fi author of Coyote Rising, Galaxy Blues, and many other works

Presented by: Space Beach Law Lab Center for the Study of Space Crime, Piracy, and Governance

Past Events

Space Beach Law Lab

March 25 – 27, 2025

Book Signing

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 | 7:00 PM – BookSoup

Webinar: Space: The Next Frontier for Money Laundering?  

Understanding why the space economy is an ideal venue for money laundering and what can be done about it

Presented by Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor

View on demand

Abstract:              The Space economy, on track to pass the trillion-dollar mark by the end of the decade, is an ideal environment for money laundering. Space industry is inherently international, with opaque corporate entities pursuing high-dollar cross-border deals that are governed by few enforceable laws. It’s a money launderer’s dream come true. The risk of space money laundering affects financial institutions, space corporations, government agencies, and law enforcement. What can be done to mitigate this potential risk? This presentation will offer some insights and possible solutions.

Presented by Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor, co-authors of the book Space Piracy: Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit (Wiley, 2025)