Categories
Quick Analysis

America’s Vulnerability in Space

The United States is exceptionally dependent on orbital assets for its national defense. However, Adversaries such as China increasingly possess sophisticated weaponry which could quickly destroy American spacecraft.  That could lead to significant vulnerabilities.

In an analysis of anti-satellite weapons, the Stimson Center noted that:

“…entire constellations of valuable satellite systems rotating the Earth could be destroyed quickly if indeed an adversary is targeting them…Imagine, however, a future conflict in which space assets are targeted with destructive force. The US Air Force Space Command in recent years hosted wargaming exercises that simulated, in one instance, hostilities that required US and allied forces to operate for ‘a day without space.’ While loss of space-based communications was mitigated by terrestrial systems, the consequences for operating in space were certainly not remedied in a day. Indeed, participants were left to speculate if the United States might be contemplating a century or even much longer ‘without space.’ Consider what this could mean for the reputation of the United States, and for the trajectory of human discovery. Unchecked, hostile action in space could produce debris, orbiting the earth at nine times the speed of a bullet, … This could place manned and unmanned space flight at unacceptable risk of mission failure due to catastrophic collision with debris. Not only would investment in, and insurance for, advanced spacecraft and launch engineering be extinguished. Of much greater importance, mankind’s access to space for exploration and pursuit of knowledge would be closed off – for young and old alike, for schoolchildren, scientists and aspiring astronauts, in America and around the world, possibly for a very long time. A more toxic legacy for US security policy would be hard to conceive.”

In 2007, China destroyed an orbiting satellite. Testifying before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in 2015, Kevin Pollpeter of the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation stated:

“Based on their analysis of U.S. military operations, Chinese military researchers view space as a critical component in making the PLA into a force capable of winning “informatized” wars and recognize the role space plays in the collection and transmittal of information and the need to deny those capabilities to an adversary. Indeed, nearly every Chinese source describes space as the “ultimate high ground,” leading many Chinese analysts to assess that space warfare is inevitable. Because of the preeminence of the space battlefield, analysts writing on space argue that it will become the center of gravity in future wars and one that must be seized and controlled. In fact, these analysts argue that the first condition for seizing the initiative is to achieve space supremacy.”

The liquid version can provide effectiveness in as little as 30 minutes per day on a cell phone could have adverse health consequences. online viagra india As a matter of fact, a lot of people suffer from these conditions viagra uk sales once in their life. It relieves you check out now now buy viagra online from stress, anxiety and depression due to diabetes. Other than that, it also helps in: Achieving growth and developmental landmarks timely Stronger immune system Better physical as well as mental health and relationship, erectile dysfunction has impact physical health diversely. viagra cheap india Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Virginia) Chair of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, recently noted that China’s space threats are equal to that nation’s sophisticated cyber warfare capabilities.

In response to the escalating threat,General John Hyten, commander of Air Force Space Command, announced the command’s “Space Enterprise Vision” (SEV.)

Hyten cited studies that found that America’s space assets are “not resilient enough to be successful in a conflict that extends to space. He explained that “In the recent past, the United States enjoyed unchallenged freedom of action in the space domain. Most U.S. military space systems were not designed with threats in mind, and were built for long-term functionality and efficiency, with systems operating for decades in some cases. …This is no longer an adequate methodology to equip space forces.”

Hyten said the SEV will respond to “the increasing threat to space systems, and provides a vision for how the Air Force should build a force responsive to that threat.  The vision describes an integrated approach across all space mission areas, coupling the delivery of space mission effects to the warfighter (such as communications, positioning, navigation & timing, missile warning, and weather data) with the ability to protect and defend space capabilities against emerging threats.

“Consistent with U.S. National Space Policy, the vision enhances U.S. space forces’ ability to deter others from interference and attack, defend our space systems if deterrence fails and contribute to the defense of allied space systems…To guide the development of this future enterprise, the SEV proposes using a new optimizing concept called ‘resilience capacity’ to characterize and evaluate space capabilities.  Resilience capacity will measure how well space enterprise forces can respond to the full range of known threats, and how quickly they can adapt to counter future threats, while continuing to deliver space effects to joint and coalition warfighters.”