Duncan Blake is a Lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra, University of New South Wales, conducting research and teaching at the interdisciplinary intersection of law with outer space and military policy and strategy. He holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics degrees from the University of Western Australia, a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Laws in Space Law from McGill University. He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College and UNSW's Graduate Certificate in Defence Studies, and is currently completing doctoral research at The University of Adelaide on reconciling incongruities between international space law and laws on using force and coercion in military space activities. Blake served 22 years as a Legal Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force before transferring to the Reserves as Wing Commander in 2017. His roles spanned tactical, operational, and strategic levels, including legal support for aerial targeting in Iraq and Syria, management of legal advice for all ADF operations in the Middle East, prosecution duties, Deputy Director of Operations and International Law for the Department of Defence, advisor to the Defence Space Coordinating Office, and development of a joint operating concept for military use of outer space. He continues to support Defence on military space activities and law.

Blake's research specializations include space law, policy, strategy, law of armed conflict, military law, and international humanitarian law. He founded the Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS), serving as Managing Editor from 2016 to 2018, and was Managing Editor for the Woomera Manual on Military Space Activities and Operations from 2019 to 2022. In 2024, he founded the annual Workshops on the Regulation of Space Activities and Technologies (WRegSAT), with sponsorship of AUD$300,000 from Gilbert and Tobin for 2025-2026, and serves as Deputy Chair in 2025. Key publications include books 'Military Strategic Use of Outer Space' (2013) and 'The Law Applicable to the Military Strategic Use of Outer Space' (2013); journal articles such as '‘Space Pirates’ or Misplaced Labels? Navigating Criminal Jurisdiction on Commercial Space Stations' (2025), 'Emerging Space Norms: A Crucial Initiative for Global Security' (2024), 'An Australian Approach to Space Warfare' (2022), and 'Military use of civil registered aircraft' (2011), for which he received the Lieber Society Military Prize from the American Society of International Law. Additional grants include a Security & Defence PLuS Alliance Seed Grant (USD$15,000) and an Education Innovation Grant (AUD$15,000). He consults on space law and strategy for International Aerospace Law & Policy Group.

Professional Email: duncan.blake@unsw.edu.au