Makena Young

Associate Fellow, Aerospace Security Project
Makena Young

Makena Young is an associate fellow with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Her research interests include international collaboration, space security, and orbital debris. Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Young worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as an aerospace engineer, focusing on automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast certification and integration in small aircraft. She holds a B.S. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Purdue University with minors in international relations and environmental engineering.

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A Contested Domain: From Space Theory to Practice

The Aerospace Security Project hosts a two part virtual event, first featuring STARCOM Commander Major General Shawn N. Bratton to discuss the command's mission, followed by a panel of CSIS and Secure World Foundation experts to discuss counterpsace developments from the past year. 

 

Event by Kari A. Bingen , Major General Shawn N. Bratton , Kaitlyn Johnson , Dr. Brian Weeden , Victoria Samson , and Makena Young — May 10, 2023

Space Threat Assessment 2023

The 2023 Space Threat Assessment covers the growing counterspace capabilities of China, Russia, India, Iran, North Korea, and others. It also features an in-depth analysis of Russia's battlefield employment of counterspace weapons in Ukraine.

Report by Kari A. Bingen , Kaitlyn Johnson , Makena Young , and John Raymond — April 14, 2023

Emerging Security Issues in Space Policy

The Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Wednesday, December 14 at 2:00pm ET hosted a two-part event exploring emerging security issues in space policy.

Event by Kari A. Bingen , Makena Young , Akhil Thadani , Honorable John F. Plumb, PhD. , Commissioner Brendan Carr , April McClain-Delaney , and Sarah Mineiro — December 14, 2022

Low Orbit, High Stakes

The competition to provide broadband from low Earth orbit (LEO) is one of the most important, least appreciated geostrategic developments underway. These networks hope to bring more of the world online and will bring substantial economic and strategic implications.

Report by Makena Young and Akhil Thadani — December 14, 2022

Tracking Developments in Counterspace Weapons

Please join CSIS's Aerospace Security Project and the Secure World Foundation as they discuss tracking developments in counterspace weapons.

Event by Todd Harrison , Kaitlyn Johnson , Makena Young , Dr. Brian Weeden , Victoria Samson , Michael Mineiro , Eric Desautels , and John Hill — April 20, 2022

Space Threat Assessment 2022

The 2022 Space Threat Assessment covers the growing counterspace capabilities of China, Russia, India, Iran, North Korea, and others. It also analyzes several key events, including the 2021 Russian ASAT test, the supposed Chinese FOBS test, and Russian jamming in Ukraine.

Report by Todd Harrison , Kaitlyn Johnson , Makena Young , Nicholas Wood , and Alyssa Goessler — April 4, 2022

Dancing Lights in Space: How to Manage The Risks of Satellite Close Approaches in Geostationary Orbit

The Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Secure World Foundation (SWF) are holding this online event to discuss The importance of public space situational awareness

Event by and Todd Harrison , Makena Young , Kaitlyn Johnson , Audrey Schaffer , Brien Flewelling , Dan Oltrogge , Marc Becker , Doug Loverro , Brian Weeden , Alessandro Cacioni , Almudena Azcárate Ortega — January 26, 2022

Smart Women, Smart Power Podcast

The 2022 Defense and Security Outlook

Strategic challenges from Russia and China, the one-year anniversary of January 6, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic set the stage for the defense and security outlook of 2022. 

Podcast Episode by Christine Brazeau , Rose Butchart , Catrina Doxsee , Devi Nair , Suzanne Spaulding , and Makena Young — January 13, 2022

CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power

The Dark Arts in Space: Developments in Counterspace Weapons

Please join analysts from CSIS and the Secure World Foundation as they discuss their latest reports on counterspace weapons and threats to space systems.

Event by Kaitlyn Johnson , Makena Young , Joe Moye , Victoria Samson , and Dr. Brian Weeden — April 8, 2021

Space Threat Assessment 2021

Space Threat Assessment 2021 is an unclassified assessment that aggregates and highlights recent open-source information on counterspace capabilities for policymakers and the general public.

Report by Todd Harrison , Kaitlyn Johnson , Makena Young , and Joe Moye — March 31, 2021