<p>How does one become a space operator? And what does a space mission look like? Wing Commander Cliff Fletcher-Jones is a senior officer in the Royal Air Force and currently serves as Assistant Chief of Staff at UK Space Command. He explains the nature of military space operations and outlines his doctorate research into humanity's relationship with space. We further discuss the Orwellian-sounding theory by pondering whether all parts of space are equally strategic.</p>

Episode 8: Why Comms is Key

Space is becoming increasingly congested, contested and competed over. It has never been so easy – or so cheap – to launch a satellite into orbit. With space activity proliferating, its impact on national security has grown too: space assets are becoming vulnerable and space debris is becoming increasingly dangerous. War in Space is a series of interviews with experts in space and defence that will analyse the intersection of space and national security, unravelling the technical jargon that so often accompanies these discussions and explaining why space matters for our everyday lives and security.

The views or statements expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by RUSI employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of RUSI.