The changing role of the U.S. military in space

Discusses the growth in the technical capabilities of commercial and foreign space systems, potential explotation of space by adversaries, increasing use of commercial space capabilities by U.S. forces, and continuing budget constraints are all changing the role of U.S. military in space. This Report Reviews The Dramatic Changes Occurring In The Commercial And Foreign Space Sectors, The Ways In Which Emerging Commercial Space Capabilities Can Be Used By The U.s. Military, And What Advantages Adversaries May Gain By Exploiting Those Same Capabilities. These Changes In The Space Environment Present The Department Of Defense (dod) With Opportunities And Challenges- Challenges And Opportunities That Are Examined In This Report With Particular Reference To The Space Control Mission Area. This Report Should Be Of Interest To Air Force And Dod Leaders, Planners, And Strategists Who Are Concerned With The Use Of Space Assets By The U.s. Military And Potential Adversaries, And Those Engaged In Emerging Commercial And Foreign Space Capabilities And In The Space Control Mission Area. Ch. 1. Growth In Non-dod Space Capabilities -- Commercial Communications Satellite Market Growth Trends -- Low Data Rate Systems -- Leo And Meo Voice Systems -- High Data Rate Bandwidth-on-demand (bod) Systems -- Remote Sensing Satellite Market Growth Trends -- U.s. Civil And Commercial Remote Sensing Satellites -- Foreign Remote Sensing Satellites -- Satellite Navigation Services -- Ch. 2. Impact Of Emerging Space Capabilities On Military Operations -- Exploitation Of Space By Adversaries -- Communications Satellites -- Remote Sensing Satellites -- Use Of Commercial Space Systems By The U.s. Military -- Communications Satellites -- Remote Sensing Satellites -- Ch. 3. The Space Control Debate -- Space Control -- The Cold War Space Control Debate -- Space Control In The Post-cold War Era -- Defensive Space Control Measures -- Satellite Survivability Enhancements -- Policy Measures -- Anti-asat Weapons Or Operations -- Offensive Space Control Measures -- Policy Measures -- Destructive Asats -- Nondestructive Space Control Systems -- Ch. 4. Changing Space Surveillance Needs -- Space Surveillance During The Cold War -- The U.s. Space Surveillance Network -- Future Space Surveillance Needs -- Space Debris Monitoring And Warning -- Coordination Of Satellite Operations -- Space Surveillance And Space Control. Daniel Gonzales. Prepared For The United States Air Force. Rand. At Head Of Title: Project Air Force. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 55-58). Growth in the technical capabilities of commercial and foreign space systems, potential exploitation of space by adversaries, increasing use of commercial space capabilities by U.S. forces, and continuing budget constraints are all changing the role of the U.S. military in space. The growth of commercial space markets, and the rapid privatization and increasing foreign ownership of commercial space assets, suggest that the Department of Defense must develop a long-term strategy to ensure adequate and secure access to commercial communications satellites and other commercial space resources. Space control will assume increasing importance in military operations, and space itself may become a theater of military operations. The United States should develop a long-term strategy to enable the U.S. military to deny space capabilities to potential adversaries. Such a strategy should rely on system or operational concepts that minimize collateral damage to commercial, civil, and third-party space assets and that do not violate existing arms control agreements or treaties. Space surveillance--the ability to precisely identify, track, and predict the position of objects in space --is an essential aspect of space control. Space control and changing space surveillance needs have implications for the Air Force as an institution