Newswise — The development of a U.S. National Space Strategy offers a broad set of challenges for civil space, national security space and in commercial space.
A new report -- Towards a National Space Strategy – offers expert insight into the specific issues inherent in the establishment of space strategy.
This timely National Space Strategy Project report summarizes the discussions and initial thoughts on developing a National Space Strategy for the United States, generated by a group of experts who took part in a workshop held earlier this year at the Space Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
Crosscutting issues
A number of topics critical to development of a national space strategy were identified and divided into three parts: Intellectual foundations; Political challenges; and specific crosscutting issues in the security, commercial and civil space sectors.
Those crosscutting issues include:
-- Space launch capabilities; -- Space program and project development; -- Spacepower and capabilities; -- Space economics and commerce; -- Earth observations; -- Space deterrence, protection and assurance; -- Space governance and international cooperation; and-- The implications of international space strategies.
Secure World Foundation (SWF) partnered with Astroconsulting International, the George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute (SPI) and the National Space Studies Center (NSSC) to produce Towards a National Space Strategy.
Dr. Eligar Sadeh of Astroconsulting International served as Principle Investigator and Editor with support from cooperating investigators: Dr. Ray Williamson, Brian Weeden and Victoria Samson of SWF, Scott Pace (SPI), John Sheldon and Tom James of the NSSC.
Addressing key challenges
As detailed in the report, a U.S. National Space Strategy must address challenges and fulfill policy in a number of ways, such as:
-- Achieve unity of effort across space situational awareness, space transportation, and commercial and government networks.-- Sustain a strategic industrial base.-- Develop an internationally accepted global climate monitoring capability.-- Formulate and implement a global exploration strategy.-- Rebuild strength in government and industry.-- Establish “circles of trust” in values and behavioral norms among space actors.-- Assure the global commons of space.-- Foster technological innovation.-- Ensure a role for markets and commerce.
National wellbeing
“This report provides a highly useful guide not only to the issues involved in establishing a national space strategy, but considerable guidance in tackling these issues to the benefit of national wellbeing,” said Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director of Secure World Foundation.
The end products of the National Space Strategy Project will be a series of articles to be published in the journal Astropolitics during fall 2010 and chapters in a book in the Routledge series on Space Power and Politics in 2011.
Reporters Note:
Expert comment:
Dr. Ray A. Williamson, Executive DirectorSecure World Foundation314 W. Charles St.Superior, CO 81321
Phone: 303-554-1560 Cell Phone: 303-501-0430Email: [email protected]
To read an executive summary of Towards a National Space Strategy, go to:
http://secureworldfoundation.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_469.pdf
To download the full report, please go to:
About Secure World Foundation
Secure World Foundation (SWF) is headquartered in Superior, Colorado, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Vienna, Austria. SWF is a private operating foundation dedicated to the secure and sustainable use of space for the benefit of Earth and all its peoples.
SWF engages with academics, policy makers, scientists and advocates in the space and international affairs communities to support steps that strengthen global space security. It promotes the development of cooperative and effective use of space for the protection of Earth’s environment and human security.
The Foundation acts as a research body, convener and facilitator to advocate for key space security and other space related topics and to examine their influence on governance and international development.
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