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An American space force plan to develop a global monitoring system to track objects up to 22,000 miles from Earth could establish radar stations in the US, UK and Australia.

The head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, is in the US for talks over the plans, and said on Saturday the British were “very interested” in the project and hosting one of the American radar stations.

China is challenging US military and technological dominance in a number of theatres, including in space. There are fears that anti-satellite arms held by Beijing – which Washington also possesses – are capable of threatening US orbital fleets.The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (Darc) would require three radar stations around the globe with possible sites in the UK, US and Australia, Wigston said, in order to get a “full picture” of what is happenin

UK ‘very interested’ in hosting US Space Force radar station

RAF chief says system to track objects up to 22,000 miles from Earth is ‘incredibly important’

www.theguardian.com

 

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Army Gen. James H. Dickinson said today that the role of the Space Force is to organize, man, train and equip space forces, while Spacecom employs those forces in operations.

Both Spacecom and the Space Force were created because of the threat from adversaries in the space domain and the need to protect and defend space assets from those adversaries, he said.

Dickinson noted that the mission of Spacecom is to deter a war beginning or extending into space, and, should deterrence fail, Spacecom is prepared to fight and win with the help of the other combatant commands, allies and partners.

"Our adversaries have militarized space. And in response, we have established the structures necessary to protect and defend our assets against those capabilities," he said.

"Many Americans still don't quite grasp how important our assets in space really are and don't understand how their daily lives are tied to assets in space. Space-based capabilities enable virtually every element of our national power, including diplomacy, economics, finance and information," he said.

Space is vast and complex, Dickinson said. Spacecom's area of responsibility extends about 100 kilometers above the Earth and extends into infinity.

"[Spacecom] simply can't go it alone. We are closely aligned and in sync with all the 11 other combatant commands," he said, noting that U.S. Cyber Command, in particular, plays a critical part in space capability, along with the National Reconnaissance Office.

Spacecom is also partnered with industry, he said. The Commercial Integration Cell has been stood up now for quite some time at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. "We have an incredible number of commercial partners who are willing and able and want to be part of the team.

"So, this is a very exciting time in terms of both our work within the whole of government, as well as those with our commercial partners," he said.

As for the Spacecom workforce, Dickinson said it is looking not only for the best and brightest in the science, technology, engineering and math fields, but also lawyers, planners and other non-STEM personnel who can contribute to the mission.

"Those skills sets together in the combatant command is what really makes us powerful and able to go quickly and to be agile enough in this changing environment that we're seeing in the space domain," he said.

Spacecom Leader Discusses the Value of Partnerships in Defending Space

Washington DC (SPX) Jul 28, 2021 - Army Gen. James H. Dickinson said today that the role of the Space Force is to organize, man, train and equip space forces, while Spacecom employs those forces in operations. Both Spacecom and

www.spacewar.com

 

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The U. S. Space Force established the second of its three field commands in a ceremony here Aug. 13, as Space Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein assumed command of Space Systems Command.

Speaking during the establishment ceremony, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond emphasized the important work that lies ahead for Guardians and Airmen of SSC. "America relies on space, and our strategic competitors are targeting space because of this reliance and the advantage space provides," Raymond said. "To remain the world leader and secure that advantage, we must move faster than our adversaries. The nation, as well as our allies and partners around the world, are counting on this team to deliver."

Guetlein received his third star in a promotion ceremony earlier in the day and as the SSC commander leads approximately 10,000 military and civilian personnel, overseeing the acquisition lifecycle of 90 percent of USSF mission focus areas, controlling 85 percent of the approximately $11 billion Department of Defense space investment budget.

"Space Systems Command is about continuing the culture shift away from being service providers to being warfighters and defending our way of life from, through and in space." Guetlein said.

"In ten years, warfighting as we know it will have changed drastically and we must be postured and empowered to keep pace with this change. We cannot let this be a nameplate change from SMC to SSC. We must be bold, and we must get after the threat. It is up to Space Systems Command to counter the rising threat with game-changing capabilities."

SSC is responsible for developing and acquiring lethal and resilient space capabilities for warfighters by rapidly identifying, prototyping, fielding and sustaining innovative, space-based solutions to meet the demands of the National Defense Strategy. SSC's functions include developmental testing, production, launch, on-orbit checkout and maintenance of USSF space systems, as well as oversight of USSF science and technology activities.

USSF establishes 2nd Field Command, Guetlein assumes command

Los Angeles AFB (AFNS) Aug 16, 2021 - The U. S. Space Force established the second of its three field commands in a ceremony here Aug. 13, as Space Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein assumed command of Space Systems Command. Speak

www.spacewar.com

 

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What is sovereignty and why is it important?
Sovereignty is a legal and political concept. It generally refers to the authority of a country (nation state) to exercise control over matters within its jurisdiction - including by passing laws and enforcing them.

Historically, this jurisdiction was based primarily on geography. However, cyberspace and outer space are not limited by borders in the same way as territorial spaces.

Sovereignty also includes the power to give up certain sovereign rights, such as when countries agree to limit their own actions so as to cooperate internationally on human rights and national security.

Cyberspace and outer space enhance our defence and national security capabilities, but our increasing dependence on continuous access to both also makes us vulnerable. These domains can be a source of unity and vision for humanity, but they can also be a source of tension and discord - and could easily be misused in the conduct of war.

Cyberspace
The world's dependence on the internet has outpaced efforts at effective cyber security. For every "solution", another threat arises. This can create serious vulnerabilities for defence and national security.

There is a general understanding that international law applies to cyber activities. However, the details of precisely how are not agreed. The debate generally concerns what military cyber activities are "acceptable" or "peaceful", and which are prohibited or might be considered acts of war.

For example, during peacetime, international law is largely silent on espionage. Nation states can generally engage in cyber espionage without clearly violating their legal obligations to other countries.

However, it can be hard to tell the difference between a simple espionage cyber operation (which might be permitted) and one carried out to prepare for a more disruptive operation (which might count as an "attack"). Both involve unauthorised access to computer systems and networks within another nation state, but working out who is responsible for such intrusions and their intentions can be an imprecise art.

Different countries have suggested various approaches to the problem. France and Iran say any unauthorised penetration of their cyber systems "automatically" constitutes a violation of sovereignty, irrespective of the reason.

Others, such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand, say a cyber operation must be sufficiently disruptive or destructive to count as a violation of sovereignty principles. These might seem like legal niceties, but they matter - they can determine how the impacted country might retaliate.

Outer space
Outer space is no less challenging. The "militarisation" and possible "weaponisation" of space represent a significant defence and national security challenge for all countries.

Outer space, like the high seas, is often seen as a global commons: it belongs to everyone and is governed by international law. A key tenet of international space law is that space may not be appropriated, which would prevent plans such as colonising the Moon or Mars.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, ratified by almost every spacefaring country, provides that the Moon and other celestial bodies are to be used "exclusively for peaceful purposes". It also forbids the placement of weapons of mass destruction in outer space and the militarisation of celestial bodies.

The treaty also imposes international responsibilities and liabilities on the countries themselves - even for transgressions carried out by a private entity. Everything revolves around the imperative to promote responsible behaviour in space and minimise the possibility of conflict.

Initially, there were different views as to whether the peaceful use of space meant that only "non-military" rather than "non-aggressive" activities were permissible. However, the reality is that outer space has been and continues to be used for terrestrial military activities.

The 1991 Gulf War is often referred to as the first "space war". The use of satellite technology undeniably represents an integral part of modern military strategy and armed conflict for Australia and many other countries.

The situation is made more complex by the increasing interest in possible future mining in space and the potential rise of space tourism. There is also no clear international agreement about where to draw the line between sovereign airspace and outer space, or about what (and whose) criminal law applies in space.

Space sovereignty
At present, some 70-80 countries have some degree of sovereign space capability, including an ability to independently launch or operate their own satellites.

On the other hand, this means nearly two-thirds of the world's countries do not have any national space capability. They are completely dependent on others for access to space infrastructure and to space itself. Their ability to enjoy the benefits of space technology for development and well-being relies on strategic and geopolitical networks and understandings.

Even Australia, which is a sophisticated space participant, currently has relatively limited sovereign capability for space launches, Earth observation, GPS and other critical space activities.

However, it is not economically feasible for Australia to be wholly independent in every aspect of space. For this reason, Australia's twin policy of ensuring access to space through strategic alliances with selected spacefaring nations, while also developing further sovereign space capability in specific areas, is essential to Australia's defence and national security interests.

Looking forward
Addressing the intersection between cyberspace and outer space is vital for Australia's defence and national security policies. Both civilian and military actors participate in these domains, and the range of possible activities is rapidly developing.

We will need to understand the increasingly close intersection between cyberspace and outer space technologies to be in the best possible position to develop effective and integrated defence and national security strategies to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Cyberspace and outer space are new frontiers for national security

Melbourne, Australia (The Conversation) Aug 20, 2021 - What do cyberspace and outer space have in common? As we make clear in a new report to the Department of Defence, both are new frontiers for national security that blur traditional ideas about borde

www.spacewar.com

 

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US military officials are debating whether to publicly demonstrate a new space weapon capability, according to the online publication Breaking Defense.

Senior military leaders, including Gen. John Hyten, the vice-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, have been discussing for more than a year whether to reveal a secret space weapon by providing a demonstration of its capabilities, the report says. The weapon system, the details of which remain obscure, was developed as a "Special Access Program," which is reserved for highly classified information.

The Trump administration considered revealing the space weapon as early as the annual Space Symposium conference in 2020, a prestigious event for the national defense community. The idea was to showcase the technology as a validation of the Space Force and Space Command, which is responsible for military operations in outer space. However, the conference was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US military may soon declassify a secret space weapon

The primary goal US military leaders have is deterring attacks on its satellites.

arstechnica.com

 

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Russia and China have fervently opposed US plans for the deployment of offensive weapons systems in space for over a decade, jointly proposing a treaty to prevent such arms from being deployed by any nation. Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there was "still a chance" to reach an agreement on the issue.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), an agency responsible for briefing US lawmakers on military matters and other affairs, has accused Russia and China of engaging in "threatening" activities in outer space which may harm the US and its allies' national security, and of working to create a whole range of space weapons with offensive capabilities.

In a document titled "Space as a Warfighting Domain: Issues for Congress," the CRS indicates that "many states and international entities, including the Department of Defence and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), now declare space as a warfighting domain," even as "various treaties and agreements" formally continue to promote the heavens as a "peaceful domain."

The CRS accuses Beijing and Moscow of having "weaponised space as a means to reduce US and allied partners' freedom of operation in space," and charges China with testing and working to obtain "proven counterspace capabilities that threaten US and allied partners' satellites and national security."

Classifying space as "the ultimate military high ground, with particular importance to communications, intelligence, and missile-warning surveillance operations," the report suggests that Washington's two main strategic adversaries "have studied warfighting concepts and have focused on space system as a particular US vulnerability."

"China and Russia are reported to be pursuing nondestructive and destructive counterspace weapon capabilities, such as jammers, lasers, kinetic-kill or anti-satellite (ASAT) systems, and cyber-attack capabilities," the report says. All these systems threaten US satellites and make it so that "US military space superiority can no longer be taken for granted," it adds.

The new technologies involved are said to include "kinetic physical...direct ascent weapons (i.e. missiles)," "nonkinetic physical" systems including "lasers, high-powered microwave weapons, and nuclear weapons detonated in space that create an electromagnetic pulse."

Both countries are also charged with developing and testing a variety of space platforms, including Russian "inspector satellites," Chinese ground-based anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, and more.

The CRS primer does not mention the space-based or meant for space use weapons that the US is known to be developing. According to publicly available information, and by US officials' own admission, these include the Space Force's programme to create directed energy weapons for US satellites (a direct violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty), an advanced new class of daytime ground-based satellite tracking, and space surveillance radar systems which are already operational.

Late last year, Pentagon officials appeared to confirm that the US military-industrial complex was working on space-based missile defences to shoot down enemy hypersonic glide vehicles. Such a development would be a violation of both the 1967 agreement and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Treaty, which prohibits the creation of missile defence systems. The Bush administration unilaterally walked out on the ABM Treaty in 2002.

Congressional Report details deployment of Russian, Chinese laser and microwave weapons in space

Moscow (Sputnik) Aug 24, 2021 - Russia and China have fervently opposed US plans for the deployment of offensive weapons systems in space for over a decade, jointly proposing a treaty to prevent such arms from being deployed by an

www.spacewar.com

 

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The Space Development Agency has already started the process of transitioning from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to the U.S. Space Force, said the agency's director.

Derek M. Tournear spoke yesterday at the U.S. Space Foundation's 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The SDA, established in March 2019, will fully transition to the Space Force in October 2022, he said. "That transition has already started."

Since 2019, the agency has been busy helping to get military satellites launched and in various orbits.

The agency doesn't actually build, launch or control those satellites. "What we do is we take technology that's very mature, and we field that to get the rapid capabilities," he said.

Thus, the agency relies on industry and government partners for the development and fielding of the satellites.

The agency's role is in streamlining the acquisition process, eliminating redundancies of effort and collecting feedback from the combatant commands as to what their needs are, he said.

Space Development Agency transitioning to US Space Force

Colorado Springs CO (SPX) Aug 27, 2021 - The Space Development Agency has already started the process of transitioning from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to the U.S. Space Force, said the agency'

www.spacewar.com

 

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Chief of Space Operations, Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond used a list of "firsts" and achievements across the Space Force's brief history Sept. 21 to illustrate how the nation's newest military service is "purpose built" for success at a time when the nation "can no longer take space for granted."

"Space is clearly a warfighting domain and we're convinced that if deterrence were to fail, we're going to have to fight and win the battle for space superiority," Raymond told an audience of more than 2,000 during his keynote address at the Air Force Association Air, Space, and Cyber Conference. "Let me be clear; we don't want to fight in space. We want to deter that from happening."

Since the Space Force was born Dec. 20, 2019, Raymond said there has been a singular focus for the nation's newest military service - being lean and fast, innovative and unified. He also said that Space Force had embraced from its earliest days the "One Team, One Fight" ethos popularized by Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.

"We have been building this service from Day One purpose built to compete, deter and win against a growing threat," he said.

The reasons - and the need - are evident, he said.

The Fight
While space was once considered "benign," and was a place largely uninhabited by every nation except the United States and Russia (and the Soviet Union), today it is far more crowded and dangerous. There are currently 30,000 objects and space junk orbiting the Earth at high speed. More than 70 nations are currently operating satellites of varying sizes and capabilities. Most ominously, there is a growing number of satellites and other space capabilities that are being designed for warfighting and to interrupt and defeat U.S. operations.

At the same time, Raymond pointed out that the ability to operate in space is critical not only to protect U.S. security, but also to power the U.S. and global economy, communications, transportation and other essential functions of everyday life.

"I am convinced that if we can protect our critical capabilities and deny an aggressor benefit, or impose a cost they cannot bear, we may prevent war for extending to other domains," Raymond said.

"I am also convinced that adversaries are increasingly using space for their own long-range kill-chains. So the ability to protect our own capability and generate space superiority despite attack is critical. Space underwrites the success and survivability of our Joint force."

The threat is real
"I've seen consistently in war games and exercises that adversaries understand our dependence on space and cyber, and are likely to attack them," Raymond said. "Difficulty in attribution, combined with the tremendous speed of the space domain, provides ample incentive for an adversary to initiate attack in space."

China, he said, has deployed satellites with a robotic arm that could be used in the future to "grab" other satellites. Russia has a co-orbital anti-satellite weapon he referred to as a "nesting doll satellite" that "is specifically designed to kill U.S. satellites."

"Bottom line, we must protect space," he said. "It underpins every instrument of national power - diplomatic, information, military and economic."

The Team
Building a new service from scratch has benefits, he said. Raymond has been determined to keep the organization lean and the talent level high. As examples, Raymond said that initial plans suggested a headquarters staff of 1,035 people. The actual number is 600.

Space Force has only three major commands - Space Operations Command, Space Systems Command, and Space Training and Readiness Command. The number of active-duty Guardians currently stands at 6,490 and 6,206 civilians. Demand for the jobs is strong, Raymond said, noting that there were 3,700 applications for 400 positions available for transfers from other services.

"Rather than growing to gain new functions, we've empowered Guardians to be effective; re-organized them to be efficient and equipped them to use our small size as an enduring advantage," he said.

To underscore his point about the kind of person Space Force needs and seeks, Raymond highlighted three new Guardians, each of whom is a recent graduate from the Air Force Academy.

Second Lt. Aryemis Brown, he said, will make a major contribution but it will have to wait until he completes his study in England as a Rhodes Scholar.

Second Lt. Mahala Norris, likewise, is a newly commissioned Space Force officer from the Air Force Academy who ran collegiate track and broke the Academy record four times in the steeplechase, where she culminated her track career by winning a national championship in the event.

He also highlighted 2nd Lt. Tanner Johnson, another Academy graduate who wrestled at the collegiate level. Before graduating, however, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a condition that in every other point in history would have disqualified him from accession into any branch of the military.

"It's not allowed because you can't deploy," Raymond said, who noted he had Johnson's permission to speak about his case.

"What we said in the Space Force is, we'd love to take him. He's a fighter. He's a grappler. He's smart. ... He will have a full career. He can grow up to be the chief of space operations because of the nature of our force and what we do.

"We look at the whole person, and we search out opportunities for diversity not just in gender, ethnicity and race, but in ability. Second Lt. Johnson is an inspiring Guardian, and we are a better, stronger force thanks to him," Raymond said.

While the Space Force continues to evolve, Raymond said he is pleased with progress so far. A space doctrine has been written, the process and procedures to recruit well and squeeze every bit of potential from "human capital" have been written and refined. A space curriculum has been developed and processes for working efficiently with the other services, and especially the Air Force, have been honed.

Raymond describes Space Force achievements, plans, challenges ahead

National Harbor MD (SPX) Sep 22, 2021 - Chief of Space Operations, Gen. John W. Jay Raymond used a list of firsts and achievements across the Space Force's brief history Sept. 21 to illustrate how the nation's newest military service

www.spacewar.com

The U.S. Space Force will take over satellite communications billets, funding and mission responsibility from the U.S. Army and Navy, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

The transfer, which includes a total of 15 global units with 319 military and 259 civilian billets, is scheduled to be effective Oct. 1, if the Defense Department budget is passed and signed.

"We're one team with our sister services and over the last year and a half we have worked with the Army and Navy and Air Force to determine which capabilities come over to the Space Force," Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations said, according to a Defense Department news release.

US Space Force to take over SATCOM operations from Army, Navy

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 22, 2021 - The U.S. Space Force will take over satellite communications billets, funding and mission responsibility from the U.S. Army and Navy, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

www.spacewar.com

 

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The Defense Department hopes, within the decade, to have a meshed network of low Earth orbit satellites - linked together and to warfighters - providing real-time global awareness of missile threats and the ability to respond.

However, that goal was once considered cost prohibitive, said the director of the Space Development Agency.

Derek M. Tournear participated in a Defense One virtual panel on the "State of the Space Force."

Now, the privatized commercial space industry has made that goal much more affordable, he said.

To put that in perspective, historically, each satellite has cost hundreds of millions of dollars, he said.

Commercialization of space has brought these prices down. "We now have 20 of our transport satellites on firm fixed price contracts at $14.1 million apiece," he said. "That's unheard of, and we believe that price will continue to go down as commercialization keeps driving the price down."

That's only one part of it, he said. The other part of it is that access to space has also been commoditized. Commercial industry has been driving down the price to get satellites in orbit.

A few years ago, launches were hundreds of millions of dollars and now, they're tens of millions of dollars which is a huge difference when launching hundreds and hundreds of satellites that the DOD needs for spiral development, he said.

The end game for the space-based architecture would be, for example, to track hypersonic glide vehicles, calculate a fire control solution and send that directly to a weapon to intercept and neutralize that threat, he said. "These are the missions people have wanted to do for a long time."

Tournear mentioned the Missile Defense Agency, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, along with industry partners, in playing roles in that endeavor.

Moderator Patrick Tucker, the technology editor for Defense One, added that 3D printed components and new breakthroughs in software have also brought costs down.

Tucker also pointed out that China and Russia also have access to the same technology and advantages that the U.S. has.

Global missile defense from space got more affordable

Washington DC (SPX) Sep 28, 2021 - The Defense Department hopes, within the decade, to have a meshed network of low Earth orbit satellites - linked together and to warfighters - providing real-time global awareness of missile threats

www.spacewar.com

 

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Purdue University, known as the "Cradle of Astronauts," established a new partnership with the U.S. Space Force on Wednesday (Sept. 29) to utilize university research, innovation and talent development as the latest member of the Space Force's University Partnership Program.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels and Gen. David D. "DT" Thompson, USSF vice chief of space operations, signed a memorandum of agreement in Hovde Hall on the Purdue campus.

"For quite some time, Purdue's involvement in space has expanded far beyond our distinguished history of astronauts," Daniels said. "Our partnership with the Space Force provides yet another example of our commitment to space exploration and national security."

The signing was part of a two-day campus visit for Thompson, who received his master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the university in 1989. Thompson said the UPP will leverage the internationally renowned research and educational opportunities available at Purdue to take on the engineering, science and technology issues facing the Space Force.

"As someone who has personally benefited from the caliber of education Purdue provides, I am excited for the next generation of Guardians who will expand their knowledge and expertise through this partnership," Thompson said.

"Those Guardians must have the STEM foundation that provides a deep understanding of the space domain to conquer the challenges of today, coupled with the confidence and commitment to solve the problems we are certain to encounter in the future."

While on campus, Thompson met with Air Force ROTC cadets training for Space Force, as well as officers in the Purdue Military Research Initiative.

Air Force Col. Ken Callahan, currently posted with Purdue's Air Force ROTC detachment, said Purdue graduated several ROTC students directly to the Space Force last spring and recently welcomed several new Space Force military graduate students to campus.

"These students are just one an example of the quality of education we have at Purdue," Callahan said. "People in the Air Force know about Purdue and its expanding connection to space and the Space Force program."

Thompson also talked with university leaders, heard from faculty at Maurice J. Zucrow Labs and took driving tours of Purdue's Discovery Park and the Aerospace District, a university-affiliated aerospace business hub for public and private research collaborations on research and commerce.

Purdue is one of 11 universities initially selected to join the UPP. Establishing strategic partnerships with this select set of nationally renowned universities allows the Space Force to recruit and educate a diverse, high-caliber workforce, offer opportunities to advance research in specific areas of interest, and develop a 21st-century, technology-savvy military service. Research is the largest component of the program, with Purdue and other universities each having its own research component.

Purdue was selected on criteria including the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degree offerings and space-related research laboratories and initiatives; a robust ROTC program; a diverse student population; and degrees and programming designed to support military, veterans and their families in pursing higher education.

Following Wednesday's signing, Purdue and the Space Force will begin working together to meet the program's major goals, including establishing research assistantships, internship agreements, opportunities for Guardians to pursue advanced degrees and both ROTC and civilian scholarship programs.

Space Force, Purdue partner on STEM education, innovation

West Lafayette IN (SPX) Oct 01, 2021 - Purdue University, known as the Cradle of Astronauts, established a new partnership with the U.S. Space Force on Wednesday (Sept. 29) to utilize university research, innovation and talent developm

www.spacewar.com

 

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The wing itself is an interim organisation, which will eventually be transformed into the National Space Intelligence Center, taking over part of the activities which at present are carried out by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

US Space Force has established its own intelligence group, called Space Force Intelligence Activity (SFIA), which will be based at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, the online outlet SpaceNews reported, citing memos it had obtained.

The establishment of SFIA is a step towards separating the responsibilities of the US National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) into two separate organisations amid reports that the "air" and "space" departments of NASIC have always fought over resources.

SFIA will take over the "space" part of the NASIC intelligence efforts, and will take on some of its employees.

However, SFIA is only a temporary structure, which will eventually become the National Space Intelligence Center, which will also be based at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and will be staffed mainly by former employees from SFIA, SpaceNews reports.

Before former president Donald Trump established the Space Force and SFIA, NASIC was responsible for collecting intelligence, which related to Washington's operations in space. Some US lawmakers - namely Republican from Ohio, Mike Turner - feared that the new structure will copying the NASIC functions, but the Space Force itself defended the project as necessary to properly focus on space-related issues.

The Space Force itself emerged from the US Air Force, which had been responsible for all military space operations in the country. However, the alleged emergence of satellite weapons and overall intensification of competition between nations in space prompted the creation of a new, separate military wing.

New US military branch gets its own intelligence wing

Moscow (Sputnik) Oct 05, 2021 - The wing itself is an interim organisation, which will eventually be transformed into the National Space Intelligence Center, taking over part of the activities which at present are carried out by t

www.spacewar.com

 

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Hyvää keskustelua....

 

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Hyvää keskustelua....

Ne jotka eniten tietää ei saa sanoa

 

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Over the last several years we have been yelling and screaming about the existential threat of space debris on our ability to conduct space commerce, but the world is not listening. Instead, several organizations continue to add new spacecraft to the near-Earth space environment while totally ignoring the ultimate consequences.

Just over the past 18 months the population of low-orbiting active satellites has grown from 1,918 to several thousand. And, this is only the beginning of population growth, as more than 50,000 new satellites are in production and will be added to near-Earth space over the next few years.

So, what's the big deal? There are two problems. First the shear number of satellites to be added to already close orbits creates a nightmare traffic situation. Second, the 60+ years of accumulated junk and debris is filling all of near-Earth space and we cannot not see it, let alone do anything about it. But, we have simply ignored it.

Sometime in the near future, the mass and distribution of junk and active satellites will exceed the capacity of space to safely contain the debris generated by the addition of the 50,000+ new satellites into orbits that are already approaching gridlock. When this limit is reached our ability to travel in space may be greatly diminished.

When will this happen? No one knows the answer, but It could be soon. As more and more satellites are launched, the frequency of collision events will dramatically increase. After that, low-Earth orbits will begin to experience exponential collisions among the many old and new satellite constellations. After that, all space-related services may end.

Can remedial action wait until this gridlocking event starts? Spacefaring nations have two options: continue business as usual that could result in the total loss of space activities for decades, if not longer; or, initiate space sustainability programs that lead to control of the space-based debris population. Such a program would offer three essential operations:

+ Precisely tracks and projects the trajectories of all large resident space objects (RSO) such that active satellites can avoid close conjunctions.

+ Control the population of small-but-dangerous debris objects through active removal operations.

+ Manages space traffic of active satellites to maintain safe flight paths.

The "do nothing" option could result in the complete loss of the soon-to-be one-trillion-dollar annual space commerce revenue. The reopening of space would cost at least several hundred billion dollars and likely take decades to achieve. The second option would assure continued safe commerce but require a very complex program involving several new space systems and a multi-billion-dollar annual budget.

Unfortunately, the world economy cannot afford to do nothing. The real choice is to either pay for space sustainability now or pay much, much later.

A world without access to space

Bethesda MD (SPX) Oct 25, 2021 - Over the last several years we have been yelling and screaming about the existential threat of space debris on our ability to conduct space commerce, but the world is not listening. Instead, several

www.spacedaily.com

 

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The Air Force Materiel Command declared Initial Operational Capability for its support to the U.S. Space Force on Oct. 1, 2021. The IOC milestone means AFMC is well on its way to fully supporting the Space Force as its Servicing Major Command for Space Force-assigned Airmen.

The USAF and USSF took a series of steps over the past year in the designation of AFMC as Servicing MAJCOM for the USSF. Those actions included a programming plan, approved this summer, outlining the functional support AFMC will provide to Airmen assigned to the USSF.

At IOC, a memorandum of agreement has been established between the Department of the Air Force and U.S. Space Force, and the functions and personnel who will be serviced by AFMC have been identified.

As the Servicing MAJCOM, AFMC will accomplish the roles and responsibilities traditionally performed by a major command for the Airmen supporting the Space Force. These major command functions typically include, but are not limited to, providing policy guidance; professional development opportunities/guidance; developmental team representation; and functional-specific roles. Approximately 8,000 Airmen assigned to Space Force installations and units will eventually be serviced by AFMC.

Full operational capability is expected by Fall 2022 when all assigned functional areas will be fully supported by AFMC, and AFMC has hired all of the positions required to provide servicing major command support to Space Force Airmen.

Airmen at U.S. Space Force installations will continue to be serviced by their local Military Personnel Flight and Civilian Personnel Office, and the Air Force Personnel Center will continue to provide service to all Airmen at Space Force installations.

The Department of the Air Force created this unique and first-time Servicing MAJCOM structure to ensure Airmen assigned to the Space Force receive the same force development opportunities, functional and administrative support as those at U.S. Air Force installations.

Air Force Materiel Command reaches IOC as servicing major command for USSF

Wright-Patterson OH (SPX) Oct 25, 2021 - The Air Force Materiel Command declared Initial Operational Capability for its support to the U.S. Space Force on Oct. 1, 2021. The IOC milestone means AFMC is well on its way to fully supporting th

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Army Gen. Mark A. Milley pointed to China's recent test of a hypersonic weapon system as an example of why the U.S. military is concerned about Chinese intentions.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke on Bloomberg News' David Rubenstein Show and said DOD officials saw the test as "a very significant event."

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby emphasized that China's development of a wide range of systems and capabilities paired with their aggressive foreign and economic policies are clearly why Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III sees China as America's pacing challenge.

Kirby noted the Chinese capabilities "do very little to help decrease tensions in the region and beyond."

The hypersonic test is just one part of a suite of security issues with respect to China. Kirby said DOD leaders are concerned about the trajectory of where things are going in the Indo-Pacific region. This suite "taken together [is a] reason for concern and [is] being used to inform the operational concepts that we want to be able to employ," the press secretary said.

"They're informing the budget. They're informing the programs and the priorities of the department. They're going to inform ... our training and exercise regimen."

A free and open Indo-Pacific remains a key national security goal for the United States, Kirby said, and DOD has a significant role in that effort. He said China's actions are factored into deliberations on the global posture review and will be factored into the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy next year.

Milley emphasized the same in his talk. He noted the Chinese are expanding rapidly in all domains of warfare - land, sea, air, cyber and space. "They have gone from a peasant army that was very, very large in 1979 to a very capable military that covers all domains, and has global ambitions. China is very significant on our horizon."

Capabilities growth shows why US sees China as pacing challenge

Washington DC (SPX) Oct 28, 2021 - Army Gen. Mark A. Milley pointed to China's recent test of a hypersonic weapon system as an example of why the U.S. military is concerned about Chinese intentions. The chairman of the Joint Ch

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Kiina vs US/maailma näyttää todennäköiseltä ensimmäiseksi konflikti puoliksi

 

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University of Leicester experts in the military uses of outer space have urged further international dialogue and 'cool heads' following flight tests of a new Chinese hypersonic missile system. Reports of China testing a new orbital launch vehicle, known as Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS), have fuelled concerns about the nuclear weapon state's advancing military capabilities and possible consequences for the United States and its allies.

High-profile flight tests conducted in July and August saw a rocket launched into orbital flight, which later re-entered the atmosphere and released a manoeuvrable glide vehicle travelling at hypersonic speeds, in excess of five times the speed of sound.

Long-range missile systems like this can carry nuclear or non-nuclear warheads. With no official explanation from the Chinese government, some US commentators were quick to assume the worst - a new Chinese ability to bombard the United States from outer space with nuclear weapons.

But now, in a new policy brief for the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network by Dr Bleddyn Bowen and Dr Cameron Hunter, the international relations experts have called for cooler heads in response to the tests.

Dr Bowen, lecturer in International Relations within Leicester's School of History, Politics and International Relations, said: "It's still unclear at this time what exactly was tested by the Chinese military, but if it was a FOBS-like capability, it is unlikely to be fielded on a large scale due to the expense of fielding the high numbers of the weapons required for a meaningful nuclear capability, the ineffectiveness of US missile defences in defending against China's existing nuclear weapons, and the very limited gains FOBS provides above and beyond China's existing nuclear forces on Earth. "Either way, this does not change the nuclear balance of terror between Beijing and Washington."

Leicester researchers analyse consequences of China space weapon test

Leicester UK (SPX) Nov 03, 2021 - University of Leicester experts in the military uses of outer space have urged further international dialogue and 'cool heads' following flight tests of a new Chinese hypersonic missile system. Repo

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China launched its Shijian 21 satellite into orbit from Xichang late in October on a mission to "test and verify space debris mitigation technologies". However, the launch triggered fears in the US military that Beijing had unveiled a new "satellite-crushing" weapon to achieve superior space attack systems.

US space tracking has detected a mysterious object orbiting along with China's Shijian-21 satellite, launched on 23 October to "test and verify space debris mitigation technologies".

On 3 November, the US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron (SPCS) catalogued a so-called "companion object" alongside Shijian-21 with the international designator 2021-094C

Mystery object detected near China's space debris cleaner fuels fears of 'satellite-crushing weapon'

Moscow (Sputnik) Nov 09, 2021 - China launched its Shijian 21 satellite into orbit from Xichang late in October on a mission to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. However, the launch triggered fears in the US

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