Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




OPINION SPACE
Time For A New National Security Space Paradigm
by Launchspace Staff Writers
Bethesda MD (SPX) Jan 06, 2009


illustration only

History has shown that timing is important. In this case, the new Obama administration has a unique and historic opportunity to address the many national security space issues simultaneously. In recent years multiple commissions and panels have reviewed the shortcomings of national security space management, organization, acquisition and performance.

The latest US congressionally mandated study, the Independent Assessment Panel (July 2008) led by Tom Young, concluded that the organizational separation of military and intelligence space has outlived its historical purpose. There is now a sense of urgency, because US space preeminence is eroding. Many reasons can be cited.

Among them are a lack of leadership, indifference at the executive level, poor and inexperienced management, no clear vision for the future, a lack of accountability and the fact that space has been a "stepchild" in the US defense community. There are several underlying reasons for our current situation.

Space is not a battleground where military personnel are at risk and thus, is not perceived as equally important as equipment needed for military engagements. Access to space is extremely limited and costly. The use of space is complicated and not well understood by the public or by US government decision makers.

Defense applications of space organizationally fall under the Air Force, which has limited funds and is largely focused on new fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Finally, the use and impact of space for national security applications have evolved through the introduction of several disruptive technologies.

Thus, the advantages of using space have not been fully integrated into the US security architecture, nor has there been an executive level effort to centralize the space infrastructure under a single accountable authority.

"Business-as-usual" is not an option for effective national security. Space is critically important to the future of US foreign policy, world leadership and the domestic security. Complex and multifaceted twenty-first century national security threats and expected future requirements on high-technology space assets will lead to non-responsive and diminished operations in terms of supporting sophisticated ground, air and space applications for military and civilian operations. And, recent miscues in several important US space programs have highlighted the need for a new approach to space usage.

To continue US preeminence in space and to assure national security the new President must focus on a fix. The urgency of reinforcing national security makes it imperative that these issues are addressed soon. The Young Panel may have it right: reorganize US national security space under the National Security Council and name someone who can take responsibility for program decisions and funding authority while accountable for results.

If the decision is made to organizationally centralize national security space, why not physically centralize the national security space infrastructure into an integrated services operation available to all defense and intelligence users?

We could consider concepts like DARPA's F6 Program and one proposed at the Space 2008 Conference that involves a single hierarchical space infrastructure that uses multiple satellite constellations to deliver security products for both defense and intelligence applications.

This suggests that we do away with existing large monolithic spacecraft that are dedicated to single applications and replace them with distributed systems that simultaneously serve all national security users with a transparent space infrastructure.

The acceptance of such a new paradigm will require an acceptance of the notion that one system of systems can deliver all national security space services.

The existing stovepipe culture has evolved over the past 50 years believing in the "dedicated spacecraft for my mission" philosophy. This culture must be fundamental changed in order to look beyond single-function missions and progress to other more-realistic options.

.


Related Links
LaunchSpace
Space Analysis and Space OpEds






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








OPINION SPACE
The Griffin Space Fantasy
Honolulu HI (SPX) May 05, 2007
The March 14 2007 issue of Aviation Week contained an article by NASA Administrator Mike Griffin which apparently is the most detailed statement yet of his long-range plans. In this article and related press interviews, Griffin makes a case that NASA is not really as underfunded as many critics say, and that the US can afford three major space projects on the scale of Project Apollo over the next 50 years without major budget increases. ... read more


OPINION SPACE
India Touts Plans To Hoist Tricolour On Moon By 2020

Chandrayaan Dominates Day Two At Indian Science Congress

NASA Instrument On Chandrayaan Finds Minerals On Moon

Next NASA Moon Mission Completes Major Milestone

OPINION SPACE
China Lauds NASA Mars Rovers Five Year Marker

China-Russia Mars mission set for takeoff

Spirit and Opportunity rovers mark five years on Mars

Spirit Clocks Up Five Years Exploring Mars

OPINION SPACE
A Testing Future Of Exploration And More For NASA In 2009

A Testing Future Of Exploration And More For NASA In 2009

US gives green light for first commercial spaceport

NASA finds clues to Mars mysteries

OPINION SPACE
Shenzhou-7 Monitor Satellite Finishes Mission After 100 Days In Space

China Launches Third Fengyun-2 Series Weather Satellite

China Launches Third Fengyun-2 Series Weather Satellite

China To Launch New Remote Sensing Satellite

OPINION SPACE
Russia Tests Phone Home To Santa Network

Orbital Scoops Up Major Space Station Cargo Delivery Contract

ISS Astronauts Successfully Complete Spacewalk

NASA Awards Multi Billion Dollar ISS Supply Contracts

OPINION SPACE
Arianespace To Launch Egyptian Satellite Nilesat 201

Boeing To Launch Fourth EO Satellite For Italy

Ariane 5 Achieves Another Successful Mission

Arianespace's Sixth Ariane 5 Of 2008 Completes Assembly

OPINION SPACE
NASA's Kepler Spacecraft Ready To Ship To Florida

Planets Form In The Eye Of A Storm

Planets Living On The Edge

Watching For Wobbles

OPINION SPACE
Solving The Mysteries Of Metallic Glass

Brazil Begins Mechanical Tests On Satellites

Lockheed Martin SBIRS Team Delivers Major Subsystems For Second GEO Satellite

Brazil Begins Mechanical Tests On Satellites




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement