Space And Us Security

"The purpose of the Space and U.S. Security Net Assessment undertaken by the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA) is to survey the current status of U.S. space activities and to draw comparisons with other countries that have developed space programs in recent decades. Our goal is also to project major trends into a 10-20 year timeframe to identify factors that may have important implications positively or negatively on the position of the United States relative to other nations as we move toward and into the 2020 timeframe. Because of the inherently dual-use nature of space technology and the growing role of the commercial sector, this net assessment takes a broad view of space encompassing space technologies for military uses and for commercial purposes. This net assessment has been prepared as a contribution to the discussion about the future role of the United States as a space-faring nation. There is substantial sentiment to the effect that the United States can avoid the weaponization of space by restricting its future space-related national security programs, including foregoing deployment of space-based missile defense. Therefore, our net assessment includes a discussion of arguments about weapons in space. How the debate about defense in space is resolved will shape the types of space-based capabilities that the United States deploys in the years ahead. How U.S. space policy is translated into action depends vitally on levels of public understanding and support. The Space and U.S. Security Net Assessment encompassed several components (more below) including extensive research into the current and evolving space programs of the United States and other nations as well as briefings and interviews with experts within and outside the U.S. government."--P. v.