Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons^™

Eisenhower Center Program Summaries, Eligar Sadeh

Space and Defense

Space Situational Awareness Workshop

Summer Space Seminar

Asia, Space, and Strategy Workshop

National Space Forum

Transatlantic Space Cooperation Workshop

“Astronaut Envy?” The U.S. Military’S Quest For A Human Mission In Space, Roger D. Launius

Space and Defense

Before the beginning of the space age in 1957, the Department of Defense (DOD) of the United States sought to gain the mission and the technologies to carry out human operations in space. Even after 1958, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower made the decision to assign the human spaceflight mission to the newly created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), DOD champions continued to argue for a role for military astronauts. The military pursued several flight projects in the 1960s, achieved flight status for military astronauts on classified missions on the Space Shuttle in the 1980s, and has continued to …

India In Space: Factors Shaping The Indian Trajectory, Harsh V. Pant, Ajey Lele

Space and Defense

By launching its space probe to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1, on 22 October 2008, India joined the United States (U.S.), Japan, Europe, Russia, and China in this accomplishment. The principal goal of the probe was to conduct mapping of the lunar surface, and among the scientific payloads it carried two were from the United States and three from the European Space Agency (ESA). This was a unique mission as it was an attempt to map highresolution, 3-D topography of entire Moon, get mineral composition of surface, and investigate the availability of water and Helium-3. Chandrayaan-1 operated until August 2009, coming to …

European Approaches To Space And Security: Implications For Transatlantic Cooperation, Michael Searway

Space and Defense

As complex security threats are increasing the need for international cooperation on Earth, the growing number of actors in space increasingly demands collaboration in space and security. This need is intensified by the unique environmental attributes of space. For example, debris from space assets can orbit the Earth for years, rendering large areas of orbital space unusable. Moreover, as space becomes more crowded, the lack of comprehensive international governance amplifies the chance of mishaps above Earth.

Multilateralism In Space: Opportunities And Challenges For Achieving Space Security, Theresa Hitchens

Space and Defense

Human activity in space has, from the dawn of the space age, been characterized by a “push me, pull you” dynamic between competition and cooperation. There is no doubt it was the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the then Soviet Union that drove initial efforts to breech the space frontier, and that military competition has long been, and continues to be, a central factor in states’ pursuit of space capabilities. At the same time, even during the height of tensions between the two superpowers, international cooperation in the space exploration and sciences was considered a high priority. …

Table Of Contents Volume 4 No. 2, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Front Matter Volume 4 No. 2, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Notes For Contributors, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Eisenhower Center Program Summaries, Eligar Sadeh

Space and Defense

Space Situational Awareness Workshop

Summer Space Seminar

Asia, Space, and Strategy Workshop

National Space Forum

Transatlantic Space Cooperation Workshop

Chinese Intentions In Space: A Historical Perspective For Future Cooperation, Gregory Kulacki

Space and Defense

The United States (U.S.) is opening a new dialogue with China on cooperation in space that includes human space flight. The announcement appeared in the Joint Statement issued by U.S. President Obama and Chinese President Hu in Beijing, China on 17 November 2009. The two leaders also agreed “the two countries have common interests in promoting the peaceful use of outer space and agree to take steps to enhance security in outer space.”1 These are significant shifts in U.S. civilian and military space policy. The U.S. ended cooperation in space with China more than a decade ago2 and consistently refused …

Europe And Security Issues In Space: The Institutional Setting, Frans Von Der Dunk

Space and Defense

In the current timeframe, the relevance of discussions on the existing use of space for national security purposes and the potential of it to be used for non-peaceful purposes are clearly increasing.1 As a consequence, it becomes more important to address the role of Europe as a geopolitical, albeit far from monolithic, entity in this context.

The New Space Order: Why Space Power Matters For Europe, Nicolas Peter

Space and Defense

More than fifty years since the dawn of the Space Age and twenty years since the end of the Cold War, space affairs and politics remain interlinked. Space activities are increasingly tied to national power for major world powers, and political objectives are still the driving force for most space activities. Yet in an ever more globalized and competitive multipolar world, status and power that arise from the employment and access to the most advanced technologies are now widely perceived as key to the powers and standings of states. The importance of space activities is increasing, transitioning in terms of …

Lawful Response To Attacks On Space Systems, James D. Rendleman

Space and Defense

What means may a nation lawfully employ to respond to and to defeat threats and attacks on its space systems? Treaties and customary law provide a strong incentive to limit space activities to non-aggressive “peaceful purposes.” They do not, however, proscribe space warfare or preparation for such conflict. Space system components are thus at risk, and can be attacked, degraded, or destroyed, simultaneously or each in detail. The use of force is allowed only in self-defense against an “armed attack” or in accord with authorization of the United Nations (UN). Kinetic, electromagnetic, or information operation attacks against space systems are …

Table Of Contents Volume 4 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Front Matter Volume 4 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Notes For Contributors, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Publisher's Corner, Roger G. Harrison

Space and Defense

Book Reviews of

Kalic, Sean, N. U.S. Presidents and the Militarization of Space, 1946-1967. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2012, 182pp., $40.00. Natalie Bormann and Michael Sheehan. Securing Outer Space: International Relations Theory and the Politics of Space. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, c2009, 2012 (pbk), 272 pp., $44.95 (pbk).

Thailand Post King Bhumibol Adulyadej: An Uncertain Future, Daniel Hughes

Space and Defense

Student Contribution

If tourism were proportional to political stability in the sense that more people would want to travel to destinations in which they are ensured some semblance of security, then Thailand would indeed be one of the most stable and secure countries in the world, particularly in 2011 according to Forbes and Lonely Planet travel blogs. The truth, however, is that Thailand is simply a country that has done well to mask its political turmoil with the exception of the Bangkok riots of 2006. In reality, Thailand is a whirlpool of political deception, monarchical clandestine operations, and military intervention. …

Afghan State Survival: How Education Influences Political Development, Fumiko Hedlund

Space and Defense

Student Contribution

The United States poured over fifty-two billion dollars of aid, ten years of operations, and 1,854 military members’ lives into war-torn Afghanistan, but these investments did not create a stable state.1 The successful recovery of the country and its long-term stability depend on the Afghan state’s ability to mature in capability and permanency. Although many factors influence political development, education remains a dynamic part of long-term development, and in Afghanistan’s case, can reduce the populace’s support of radicalism. Education allows political participation, increasing political development and improving the probability of state survival.

Space Crisis Management: Filling The Gaps, Jana Robinson, Michael Romancov

Space and Defense

The geopolitical influence of countries is most often measured by their economic strength, government stability, technological achievements, defense capabilities and overall international standing. For the United States and other select countries, space offers major strategic advantages and many nations are now competing to derive greater civilian, commercial, and military benefits from their presence in space. Protection of space assets and ensuring a stable and safe space environment are the responsibility of those that operate them, as well as those that formulate space policies. The quest for a workable space regime is appearing more often on the agendas of national and …

Past U.S. Actions: A Source For Foreign Perceptions Of U.S. Redlines In Space, Jonathan Mazur

Space and Defense

This paper examines the boundaries of possible United States redlines in space. A redline in space is a “marker” that when crossed would result in a military or strong diplomatic response—such as what might occur if a foreign actor temporarily or permanently interfered with any aspect of a U.S. space system. The United States has not published or possibly even defined its redlines in space—as recently noted during the 2010 U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Deterrence Symposium by the then Commander for STRATCOM’s Joint Functional Component Command (JFCC) for Space in reference to the Schriever 2010 Wargames. The CDR JFCC Space …

Arms Control In The Third Space Age: Assessing International Efforts To Regulate Military Operations In Outer Space In The “3 C’S” Era, Walt Conrad, Justin Anderson, Sarah Jacobs Gamberini

Space and Defense

Preserving1and protecting the free and open use of outer space benefits all space-faring nations and is vital to U.S. national interests. U.S. military and civil space operations, however, face a number of growing challenges. Several countries possess or are developing means to disrupt or destroy space systems; space debris threatens the safe passage of spacecraft; and outer space is an environment where the United States now competes with a rapidly growing number of other space-faring nations. To remain the world’s preeminent military space power, the United States must consider a variety of means and strategies to address these challenges.

Editor's Note Volume 6 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents Volume 6 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Front Matter Volume 6 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Notes For Contributors, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Publisher’S Corner: Don’T Call It Cyberspace, Roger G. Harrison

Space and Defense

It is said of human beings that we are a pattern discerning species. We tend to search for or invent patterns even where none exist—hence the popularity of power point.1 When we deal with something truly unprecedented, our tendency is nonetheless to find some precedent for it, or, failing that, to fall back on analogy, metaphor or simile, all tools the mind uses to confront the unknown future with the familiar—which is one reason that large organizations faced with unique challenges almost invariably get it wrong.

Space Verification, Eisenhower Center For Space And Defense Studies

Space and Defense

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to determine to what extent multilateral agreements to limit disruptive actions in space and/or establish norms of behavior are verifiable; second, to consider under what circumstances space verification serves U.S. interests.

Identifying America’S Vital Interests, Adam Lowther, Casey Lucius

Space and Defense

As the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to shift its focus from Europe to the Asia-Pacific while also attempting to meet budgetary challenges, academics and analysts are examining the nation’s difficult financial outlook and contemplating not only the kind of military the United States needs, but the kind it can afford. Such considerations are, however, putting the cart before the horse. A much more basic challenge faces the country. Simply stated, the United States has no clearly defined and broadly accepted set of national interests. Instead, as one report noted, “Many find it difficult to distinguish between America’s national interests …

International Commercial Avenues To Complement Deterrence Actions, Jonty Kasku-Jackson

Space and Defense

The world relies heavily on services provided by satellite assets, but ensuring the safety and security of those assets is extremely difficult. Classic deterrence approaches rely almost exclusively on the threat of force to dissuade one state from acting against the interests of another. Although classic deterrence was arguably successful against a single adversary during the Cold War, it seems insufficient in the current multipolar strategic environment. In addition to state actors, the strategic environment is complicated by a number of non-state players in space. Some scholars present a theory in which a state could dominate earth if it could …