About
Humanity is entering the most dramatic transformation in outer space since the 1960s, propelled by scientific breakthroughs, new international players, intensifying military competition, and a private sector driving frontiers in emerging technology.
It is also critically important to global security, with military competition shaping peace and nuclear stability on Earth. At the same time, a new generation of scientists is embarking upon the search for life, from nearby Mars and the “ocean worlds” of the outer Solar System to the thousands of exoplanets that have recently been discovered. The United States and China are racing to return humans to the moon, while private companies are launching more satellites than entire nations.
Space is already central to everyday life, from internet connectivity, navigation, and the precision timing behind our financial systems to storm warnings and crop forecasts.
This rapid growth in the space arena requires scholarship connected to action and an ethos of service.
Rooted in Jesuit tradition and located in the heart of our Nation’s capital, Georgetown is uniquely positioned to foster new dialogues at the intersections of science, diplomacy, and human dignity. Our growing space faculty bridges three vital areas: scientific exploration, especially astrobiology and astronomy; international relations, with a focus on space security and statecraft; and human life and society, examining how policy, law, and ethics can guide our long future beyond Earth.