Dr Cassandra Steer
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cassandrasteer.bsky.social
Dr Cassandra Steer
@cassandrasteer.bsky.social
Space security - international space law - space governance - IHL - women, peace and security in space. Spacecitizens.substack.com is where you'll find my writings. Founder and CEO of the Australian Centre for Space Governance. Consultant. Mother.
Access to internet is critical for Iranians. Starlink has been a digital lifeline, but can Musk be trusted to keep it on? The revolution will not be televised (see Gil Scott Heron). But we can hope it remains visible (see my "Space Citizens" Substack)
open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...?
Free internet for the revolution!
What should we make of SpaceX in Iran
open.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 4:57 AM
So much in Carney's speech was bang on,especially this "We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient...that international law applied with varying rigour depending on the identity of the accused or the victim"
January 21, 2026 at 3:05 PM
What is the Asian Century? Have we already entered it? Why is space (satellites, data, connectivity) so important for this new era? My last post for 2025 is an enthusiastic rant, complete with a video of my visit to the Philippines for a regional gathering. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...
Space in the Asian Century
(Which, by the way, we have already entered)
open.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
While waging a murderous campaign in the Caribbean and threatening a war of aggression against Venezuela, the United States has now sanctioned two additional ICC judges for performing their judicial functions in the Palestine situation.

Gangsterism across the board.

www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-str...
ICC strongly rejects new U.S. sanctions designations against two ICC Judges
The International Criminal Court deplores the announcement of new designations for sanctions by the US administration against Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze (Georgia) and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin (Mongolia). These additional designations follow the earlier designation of nine elected officials of the Judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor, drawn from all regional groups.These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions. Such measures targeting judges and prosecutors who were elected by the States Parties undermine the rule of law. When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk.As previously stated, the Court stands firmly behind its personnel and behind victims of unimaginable atrocities. It will continue to carry out its mandate with independence and impartiality, in full accordance with the Rome Statute and in the interest of victims of international crimes.The ICC values the consistent demonstrations of solidarity of States Parties, civil society and all those who support the rule of law and justice for the victims of international crimes. The Court will continue its work, with all partners, to ensure the effective and independent implementation of its mandate.For more information, please contact the ICC Public Affairs Unit: PublicAffairs.Unit@icc-cpi.int. You can also follow the Court’s activities on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Flickr
www.icc-cpi.int
December 18, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
We should stop using the term “cease fire” for this situation.

www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12...
Israel strikes hit southern, eastern Lebanon in latest truce violation
The continued Israeli bombardment has drawn sharp criticism from the UN, which has recorded dozens of civilian deaths.
www.aljazeera.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Really enjoyed this piece by Sam Kriss about how AI writes. And it's only partially written by AI!

archive.is/2025.12.15-0...
archive.is
December 18, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Ep 2 of the Space Citizens just dropped. An awesome weaving conversation with Priyanka Dhopade about an applying engineering lens to the policy question of space sustainability. And much more. Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube open.spotify.com/episode/0t1a...
Ep_02_Sustainable Space with Priyanka Dhopade
Spotify video
open.spotify.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
The Defense Ministry is pursuing a policy to strengthen its capabilities, recognizing the growing importance of the space domain for national security.
Koizumi inspects ASDF group for outer space security
ebx.sh
December 3, 2025 at 3:56 AM
OK I am genuinely nervous about this but also excited. Just launched ep1 of my new podcast "Space Citizens" (yes the same name as my Substack newsletter). It starts with a bit of a rant, will include some awesome guests, and will probably be peppered with more rants. open.spotify.com/episode/6a4C...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Last week's Space Citizens substack was about the Artemis Accords. Because they turned 5 years old and now have 60 signatories. I can't help still being cynical, but maybe I have to resign to the fact that this is the guiding document for lunar activities. spacecitizens.substack.com/p/happy-birt...
Happy Birthday Artemis Accords
Am I still allowed to be skeptical?
spacecitizens.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
Sounds about reich
November 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
As is often the case with international conferences, here at #APRSAF-31 in Cebu, Philippines, we are inside an expensive resort all day. But I walk from my accommodation to the venue past those Philipinos who built and work in the resorts, and see the other side of the coin
November 18, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Currently flying over Taiwan towards the Philippines for #APRSAF31 - pondering the history of this mountainous island and its place in geostrategy, and thinking about just how important space is, and is becoming, in our changing geopolitical times
November 17, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
Lawfare is hiring paid interns for Spring 2026! Find more information and apply here: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/inte...
Intern with Lawfare!
Lawfare is now accepting Spring 2026 internship applications.
www.lawfaremedia.org
October 26, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
"Progress in international law often emerges not in spite of crisis, but because of it."

William Aceves, Amity Boye, and @jesspeake.bsky.social ask: How can today's crises become opportunities for innovation?
www.justsecurity.org/122915/crisi...
Crisis as Catalyst: Past, Present, and Future of International Law
To see crisis as catalyst is to reject fatalism and to believe that law can be both a shield and a compass in turbulent times.
www.justsecurity.org
October 21, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
Translation: After we built an addictive tool based on stolen data, exploited labor and plundering the environment, which pushes kids to commit suicides, we were like, why not cash in on "erotica"? After all, this is what building so-called AGI that "benefits humanity" looks like.
October 20, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
This is autobiographical. But it's also an invitation to anyone who's ever dreamed of a career in space and thought it wasn't possible. My journey to space (as a space lawyer. Caveat: never actually been to space.)

substack.com/home/post/p-...
October 18, 2025 at 12:02 AM
"“There is one tier of justice for all Americans,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement after Bolton was charged. “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law. " Look forward to quoting this one back to her
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton indicted
He's the third prominent Trump adversary to face criminal charges in recent weeks, following former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
www.nbcnews.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Dr Cassandra Steer
Why I used AI explained by AI. You can't make this shit up. 😂😂😂
An attorney in a New York Supreme Court commercial case got caught using AI in his filings, and then got caught using AI again in the brief where he had to explain why he used AI, according to court documents filed earlier this month.

🔗 www.404media.co/lawyer-using...
Lawyer Caught Using AI While Explaining to Court Why He Used AI
The attorney not only submitted AI-generated fake citations in a brief for his clients, but also included “multiple new AI-hallucinated citations and quotations” in the process of opposing a motion fo...
www.404media.co
October 14, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Given my recent piece "Can You Buy The Moon?" open.substack.com/pub/spacecit... I thought this hilarious sketch by the marvellous "Puppet Regime" was brilliant. youtube.com/shorts/nwcVw...
Trump's deal to end the Ukraine war — #PUPPETREGIME #TrumpPuppet #PutinPuppet
YouTube video by GZERO Media
youtube.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:22 AM
It's #WorldSpaceWeek! What better way to celebrate than buy a piece of the Moon! You can buy lunar sites online for just $34.99. JK, it's a scam. But then what's the difference between this and million dollar deals to sell lunar resources? spacecitizens.substack.com/p/can-you-bu...
October 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Literally brought me to tears. Ziptied kids together, put guns in the face of US citizens (no coincidence that these are black citizens) and explicitly dehumanise them, threaten them, attack their homes. I know this is going down, but to hear these eyewitness accounts made me cry.
October 2, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Integrating a gender lens into space operations is no longer optional – it is essential to ensuring that space technologies contribute to protection rather than harm. Grateful to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy for publishing this op-ed www.gcsp.ch/publications...
GCSP Publication | Bringing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda to Outer Space
Outer space is central to today’s conflicts, but absent from the Women, Peace and Security agenda, which was designed to safeguard those most affected by war. Integrating a gender lens into space secu...
www.gcsp.ch
October 2, 2025 at 3:26 PM