Finding the Shape of Space - Future Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Technologies Preserving U.S. Military Freedom of Action in Space, Full Motion Video, Networks, Scramjet Access, Carbon Nanotubes

This excellent report, professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction, is concerned with the direction space technologies will take over the next 20-30 years. Specifically, this research takes a purposeful look at accelerating technological change as it relates to U.S. space capabilities instrumental to improving SSA and other key space initiatives.

The US National Space Policy specifically addresses the preservation of, and freedom of action in, space. In order for the policy to succeed, would-be attackers must believe that the United States will detect and attribute their actions. Today's space surveillance network cannot detect either the newest and smallest satellites, nor can it detect small particles of space debris. It therefore cannot monitor or attribute the actions of small satellites, nor can it guarantee the safety of our existing space assets. As new technologies enable packaging increased capabilities into ever smaller space-faring packages, by 2030 our inability to detect small objects in space will become a critical capability shortfall in preserving the United States' freedom to operate in space.

An inability to monitor small satellites and space objects could diminish our military instrument of national power and the ability to conduct diplomacy. To properly engage foreign powers using the political instrument of national power, our diplomats must also know what space objects are doing, their intentions, and who owns them.

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION * CHAPTER 2 - GOOGLE EARTH TUBE: PROSPECTS FOR FULL MOTION VIDEO FROM SPACE * CHAPTER 3 - PERSISTENT SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: DISTRIBUTED REAL-TIME AWARENESS GLOBAL NETWORK IN SPACE * CHAPTER 4 - TOWARD BREAKING THE ROCKET MONOPOLY ON SPACE: SCRAMJET-ENABLED SPACE ACCESS IN 2030 * CHAPTER 5 - DISRUPTION IN SPACE SYSTEM DESIGN USING CARBON NANOTUBES

Dettagli