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Space has become a critical part of the United States' warfighting capability and requires that future space systems become more responsive than the current systems of reusable and expendable launch vehicles. The US military relies on space assets for communication, navigation, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Our adversaries also recognize our reliance on space technology and are moving forward to deny us the use of those systems. To reduce our vulnerability to those threats, the United States must have the ability to responsively replace, supplement, and service its space assets. Although the development and operational use of systems that will support the evolving mission areas of space control and force application will be subject to political and fiscal leadership decisions, they will also require responsive spacelift capabilities and it is prudent to include those considerations in spacelift planning.
The United States Space Situational Awareness capability continues to be a key element in obtaining and maintaining the high ground in space. Space Situational Awareness satellites are critical enablers for integrated air, ground and sea operations, and play an essential role in fighting and winning conflicts. The United States leads the world space community in spacecraft payload systems from the component level into spacecraft, and in the development of constellations of spacecraft. The United States? position is founded upon continued government investment in research and development in space technology [1], which is clearly reflected in the Space Situational Awareness capabilities and the longevity of these missions. In the area of launch systems that support Space Situational Awareness, despite the recent development of small launch vehicles, the United States launch capability is dominated by an old, unresponsive and relatively expensive set of launchers [1] in the Expandable, Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV) platforms; Delta IV and Atlas V. The EELV systems require an average of six to eight months from positioning on the launch table until liftoff [3]. Access to space requires maintaining a robust space transportation capability, founded on a rigorous industrial and technology base. The downturn of commercial space launch service use has undermined, for the time being, the ability of industry to recoup its significant investment in current launch systems. This has effectively precluded industry from sustaining a balanced robust industrial and technology base to sufficiently meet all United States Government spacelift needs [2]. The reduction of resources to the Department of Defense and the Air Force, coupled by the long launch preparation periods have further resulted in less operationally responsive spacelift capability from new launch systems.
Current space assets provide communication, navigation, and ISR capabilities using satellites designed for long life and high reliability. Those life and reliability requirements are due in part to the high cost and limited availability of space launch. Current space systems require years to develop due to the complicated specialized design and manufacturing processes. The high cost of launching space assets, and competition with the commercial launch market, require launch scheduling years in advance. Moreover, once it has been scheduled on a launch vehicle, it may take several months to checkout and integrate into the launch vehicle and several additional months to become operational once it's in space. This existing capability is not operationally responsive.
This edited volume introduces the reader to the role of space in military and defense strategy, and outlines some of the major foreign and domestic actors in the space arena, as well as constraints of law and treaties on activities in space. It also addresses science and technology as they relate to space policy. The book addresses three main questions: How does the realm of space fit into strategic thinking about national security? How does policy regarding space develop and what considerations, both in the United States and abroad, figure prominently in calculations about space policy? How do different states/nations/actors regard the role of space in their national security calculations and how do these policies impact each other? This book fills a niche in the space policy field, providing insights into space and strategy from international experts from the military, academic and scientific communities. A unique feature of the book is the chapter on science and technology, which utilizes the latest information available concerning space utilization and exploration.
"Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services."