Protecting NATO's Advantage in Space (Transatlantic Current, no. 5)
Abstract
During the Cold War, space was the private reserve of the two superpowers. But American allies drew great benefits from U.S. investment in space. For the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it was the high frontier from which we could support collective defense and project power with near impunity. Today, space is a shared domain in which we operate together with more and more countries friends and allies as well as potential adversaries. It is a domain that is increasingly challenged, and the nature of these challenges can be characterized by three Cs : congested, contested, and competitive: Congested: There are over 1,100 active systems in orbit, and an additional 21,000 pieces of trackable debris. Radio frequency interference is also a concern, with more than 9,000 satellite transporters expected in orbit by 2015. C ontested: China demonstrated a direct ascent antisatellite capability in 2007 and is developing other capabilities to disrupt and disable satellites. Iran and others have demonstrated the ability to jam satellite signals. Our reliance on space tempts potential adversaries to see it as an exploitable vulnerability. Competitive: A total of 11 countries operate 22 launch sites. More than 60 nations and government consortia operate satellites. This not only creates new challenges but also opens opportunities for international cooperation including within NATO.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA577645
Entities
People
- Gregory L. Schulte
Organizations
- National Defense University