National Security and Space

Competition in space is heating up and a new space race is beginning.

More countries are launching assets into space. The International Space Station is aging, while Russia and China prepare to work closer together on a shared vision of space access.

As American companies introduce commercial programs to launch U.S. astronauts into space, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in how space exploration is pursued.

While space has been and can continue to be an area for scientific cooperation, there is a growing risk of conflict developing between space-faring nations. There are also critical threats to American infrastructure in space. Whether communications satellites, GPS systems, or intelligence gathering assets, these are potentially vulnerable to attack. In addition to this, space debris is a growing problem, putting many of America’s space assets in danger. The creation of the United States Space Force is recognition that America’s interests in space must be defended.

The U.S. should develop forward looking solutions to manage these threats, while developing policies to help it retain its competitive edge in an increasingly crowded environment.