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Space and Defense

Volume 6 Issue 1 (Fall 2012)

Editor’s Note Vol. 6 No. 1

Note: Volume 6 Issue 1 and Volume 6 Issue 0 are the same issue.

After a one-year hiatus, Space & Defense is back with a fresh format. We still have the peer- reviewed feature articles. In this issue, a team from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)—Walt Conrad, Justin Anderson, and Sarah Jacobs—offers a framework for evaluating potential arms control agreements in space during a period when the domain is becoming more contested, competitive, and congested (the “three C’s”). Despite the need for greater cooperation between the United States and emerging space powers, the authors conclude that both the Chinese-Russian sanctuary proposal on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space (PPWT) and the European Union Code of Conduct fall short of their criteria for a robust international agreement.

On the other side of the coin from pursuing the benefits of coordination, Jonathan Mazur examines U.S. policy documents and U.S. behavior to argue that a deterrence regime, structured by American redlines in space, may have already formed. Allies and adversaries have every reason to pay attention, and available data hints at a strong U.S. reaction should a foreign power interfere with command and control platforms or cause the permanent loss of American government payloads for navigation, communications, or remote sensing. Launch facilities, ground stations, and intentional creation of permanent orbital debris are also likely to be on “the other side” of U.S. redlines—though urgent questions remain for assets such as weather and scientific satellites as well as commercial platforms without U.S. Government payloads.

Again in keeping with the tradition of Space & Defense, we have published a report on a high- profile conference in the field—Space Security through the Transatlantic Partnership—co- organized by the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) and the Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI) during June 2011. Our reporters are Jana Robinson of ESPI and Michael Romancov of Charles’ University’s Department of Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prague. Their article illustrates how both arms control and deterrence are ascendant on the policy agenda of the international space community and that stakeholders are best served discussing and planning for these issues now, before the next major crisis involving outer space.

Finally, we have included two new features with this issue. Recent U.S. Air Force Academy graduates Fumiko Hedlund and Daniel Hughes produced outstanding papers in their Grand Strategy capstone course last spring. Their research on Afghanistan and Thailand reminds us of the connections between comparative political development on the one hand and both grand strategy and U.S. defense policy. It also occurs to us that policy makers or analysts who prefer to see international norms and standards of conduct in space emerge out of multilateral negotiations have an interest in how the next generation of leaders are updating the old country models for political stability and modernization. Our last addition— and in some ways the perfect dessert to cap all our articles—is Publisher’s Corner. The Eisenhower Center’s own Roger Harrison provides two very useful reviews, served with generous helpings of wit and wisdom, on important, recent contributions to the growing literature on Space & Defense.

Whether you are working in government, industry, consulting, or academe, we hope you enjoy this first issue of Volume 6 and that you consider capitalizing on your interest in space by sending us your thoughts—as an article for peer review, a report, or a critical essay. Until then, look for our next installment at the beginning of summer 2013!

Damon Coletta, USAFA

November 2011