Clayton Swope

Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Clayton Swope

Clayton Swope is the deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project and a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Before joining CSIS, Swope led national security and cybersecurity public policy for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. While at Amazon, he also worked on cloud policy issues. Prior to his time at Amazon, Swope served as a senior adviser on national security, space, foreign affairs, and technology policy issues for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked for more than 14 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, serving largely in the Directorate of Science and Technology. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

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Where Is the Space Force Budget for Commercial Services?

The U.S. Space Force has emphasized the need to integrate and use commercial space services for years, yet the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget does not show a strong sign that funding will match the rhetoric.

Commentary by Clayton Swope — April 8, 2026

Why Go Back to the Moon?

As the United States prepares to return humans to the Moon, the case rests on three strategic drivers: its role as a gateway to deep space, its valuable natural resources, and the growing risk of ceding leadership in space to China.

Commentary by Clayton Swope — March 31, 2026

Would Air Strikes Against Iran Work?

History shows that air strikes alone struggle to achieve complex policy goals, but used in Iran now, they could trigger a domino effect that leads to the collapse of Iran's repressive authoritarian regime.

Critical Questions by Clayton Swope — January 13, 2026

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Would Air Strikes Against Iran Work?

An audio version of "⁠Would Air Strikes Against Iran Work?⁠," a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Clayton Swope. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.  


 

Podcast Episode by Clayton Swope — January 13, 2026

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How Important Is Blue Origin’s Second New Glenn Launch?

With the second launch of New Glenn, Blue Origin becomes only the second space operator in the world to conduct a vertical landing of an orbital-class booster. The Pentagon, NASA, and commercial customers are now counting on Blue Origin to deliver New Glenn at scale.

Critical Questions by Clayton Swope — November 14, 2025