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Ranking the top threats in space
March 31st, 2009 | National Space Symposium | Posted by Michael Hoffman
A panel of officials with representatives from the Air Force, industry and even a former astronaut were asked what they see as the largest threat to U.S. space assets. Here are their answers:
Col. Dusty Tyson, chief of the Air Force’s Space Control Division
“Not knowing what everything is on orbit scares me. I am still interested in knowing what everything is at least at the geosynchronous level.”
Richard Dalbello, vice president of Intelsat General Corporation
“A focused cyber attack could be severely disabling. Not necessarily now but the technology that will evolve over the next decade…We have a lot of stuff in space that needs to be protected.”
Donald R. McMonagle, former astronaut and manager of NASA’s Launch Integration Space Shuttle Program
“Orbital debris. There were times when we had to bring astronauts back inside the space station because of fears of collisions from space debris. If there was an impact that would cause catastrophic damage.”
Tags: Air Force, Intelsat General Corporation, NASA, satellite, space, threat
Kehler: U.S. must continue to invest in space
March 31st, 2009 | National Space Symposium | Posted by Michael Hoffman
Despite the economic downturn Air Force Space Command chief Gen. Robert Kehler told an audience of military and space industrial leaders that investments and growth must continue in U.S. space and cyberspace capabilities.
He said the February collision of two satellites and the increasing cyber threat to core U.S. military capabilities have highlighted how U.S. leaders must not lose focus when it comes to space.
Kehler challenged both the Air Force and the space industry to transform the acquisition process of space assets after years of Air Force space projects being delivered late and over budget.
Meanwhile, the downward trend in the U.S. space industrial based has left Air Force leaders worried about the long term health of a U.S. space industrial base the Air Force continues to depend on, Kehler said.
Where the Air Force will see improvements is from the addition of the cyberspace mission to Air Force Space Command over this coming year. He said Air Force Space Command airmen are uniquely suited to take on this mission since space and cyberspace are so interrelated.
“There is lots of room for discovery once we bring cyber space into space command,” Kehler said.
Tags: Air Force Space Command, cyberspace, Gen. Robert Kehler, National Space Symposium, space