Space studies candidate presents lecture May 24 Jackson N. Maogoto, FCCS of the University of Newcastle in Australia, and a faculty candidate for the Department of Space Studies, will present a lecture Thursday, May 24, at 2 p.m. in the Clifford Hall Auditorium (Room 210). The presentation, "The Militarization and Weaponization of Outer Space-From Playground to Battleground: Legal Perspectives on Use of Force" is free and open to the public. All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend. The presentation explores the militarization and weaponization of space and its intersection with the international space regime. It juxtaposes technological advances with the tenets of the United Nations Charter and analyzes technological breakthroughs in the weaponization of space against the landscape of the peaceful purposes mantra that underpins the Space Law regime. It highlights the fact that the international arena now has a new game in the making for which it is in many ways ill equipped to handle with dual purpose technology having capabilities for both defensive and offensive purposes. The distinguishing feature of the research is its aim to consolidate and critique the initiatives of space faring nations in their endeavors to develop hi-tech integrated battle platforms through the co-option of among other devices space-based sensors, space and missile tracking and deployment of hypervelocity kinetic weapons in outer space. By addressing these questions with an incisive look at the lacunae inherent in the Space Law regime, the research aims to make a holistic, novel contribution to developing issues that will become a pressing concern as the 21st century progresses.