Fri, May 20, 2005
Is This The Start Of Real Star Wars?
A battle now looming in Washington
could be felt far out in Earth orbit. It's a battle over whether
the US should weaponize or otherwise protect its vital satellites
from attack.
"The policy that we're talking about is not looking at
weaponizing space," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told
reporters. "Now we do have space systems, obviously, and we want to
make sure that those space systems are protected." McClellan was
quoted by CNN.
He was responding to a question about DoD plans to protect US
satellites from attack. The plan is still in its formative stages
and hasn't yet reached the president's desk, McClellan said.
But there are those in Washington who insist the plan is a
Pandora's box -- one that could lead to the full-blown
weaponization of space.
"No one should be fooled," said Theresa Hitchens, an expert on
the militarization of space at a think tank called the Center for
Defense Information. "What you're seeing is a reversal of the
traditional U.S. reluctance to be space warriors. And that's the
meaning of this new policy." She, too, was quoted by CNN.
But as more and more of the military's vital assets are based in
orbit, Pentagon officials say it's vital to devise ways to protect
them from attack from a potential enemy.
The plan is expected to be presented to President Bush sometime
next month. Some of these protective systems, including
micro-satellites and sat-jamming systems, could be operational in
as little as 18 months.
"I expect it's likely to continue to emphasize the sovereignty
of space systems and the right of free passage of those space
systems. We believe in the peaceful exploration of space, and there
are treaties in place and we continue to abide by those treaties,"
McClellan told CNN.
More News
Aero Linx: JAARS Nearly 1.5 billion people, using more than 5,500 languages, do not have a full Bible in their first language. Many of these people live in the most remote parts of>[...]
'Airplane Bounced Twice On The Grass Runway, Resulting In The Nose Wheel Separating From The Airplane...' Analysis: The pilot reported, “upon touchdown, the plane jumped back>[...]
"Burt is best known to the public for his historic designs of SpaceShipOne, Voyager, and GlobalFlyer, but for EAA members and aviation aficionados, his unique concepts began more t>[...]
"Polaris Dawn, the first of the program’s three human spaceflight missions, is targeted to launch to orbit no earlier than summer 2024. During the five-day mission, the crew >[...]
There Are SO Many Ways To Get YOUR Aero-News! It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so he>[...]