The use of space for a range of military capabilities has become stronger over the last decade, said Air Force Major General Robert Dickman (retired), Deputy for Military Space in the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force.
"Spaceeven militarily significant space isnt solely an American domain," Dickman said. "While the United States supports the peaceful use of space by all, prudence demands that we must be able to ensure that the United States, its allies, its coalition partners, will be able to make use of space when and where we need it and that we can deny that use to those who would do us harm."
Dickman and others addressed the highest ground at the 20th National Space Symposium held here this week. The meeting is conducted by the Space Foundation.
Tampering with U.S. satellites
Dickman highlighted early instances of tampering with U.S. satellite systems.
"Weve seen attempts to jam our military systems," Dickman stated. "Weve seen international interference with commercial space operators conducted for purely political reasons. This is no more acceptable in space than it would be on the high seas. We need to provide our national leadership with an appropriate range of responses."
Dickman said that Americas space superiority depends on a unity of effort between the defense, intelligence, and civil/government communities. Furthermore, that unity also relies on collaboration with the private sector and the global space infrastructure such as Europes Galileo satellite system now being developed.
Supporting the fighter
In the near-term, two new space capabilities are to become on-line capabilities: space-based radar and a transformational satellite communications system. These added assets will support national decision-makers just as they support the fighter on the ground or in the air, Dickman said.
"Our leaders have more accurate and current information on developments, issues, crises in virtually all parts of the worldmore than any leaders anywhere have ever had before," Dickman said.
But retaining that decisive advantage is going to become increasingly difficult.
Critical technologies
The protection of space assets is becoming increasingly important, said Ronald Sega, director of defense research and engineering in the U.S. Department of the Defense. He highlighted aspects of national security space strategy.
Sega said there is an array of need-to-have technologies useful for both military and civil space needs. Specifically, the need for better space-rated batteries, fuel cells, as well and methods of storing power cut across both sectors.
Another growing need is for rapid launch of satellites. Shaving off months of prep time to lofting a satellite to days, perhaps hours, is being actively pursued. Coupled with quick launch is having a satellite up-and-operating quickly. Checkout times for satellites once in orbit must be greatly reduced, Sega emphasized.
Hypersonic propulsion
Within Segas purview is harnessing the technology of high-speed hypersonic propulsion. A number of programs are underway, he said, sponsored by the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), as well as NASA.
Sega applauded the recent record-setting flight of the NASA X-43A a test that demonstrated air-breathing propulsion technology. That craft flew to over Mach 7, or seven times the speed of sound, which translates to some 5,000 mph.
"Its an important data point," Sega said. "The data they received was nearly perfect," he said, with the craft gathering information just 52 feet above the water before it impacted within a designated ocean crash site.
The atmospheric performance of the engine in the vehicle actually exceeded the wind tunnel results, Sega reported. Engineers involved in the X-43A flight were pleasantly surprised by the performance of the vehicle, he said.
The X-43A demonstrated that scramjet technology can in fact work, producing positive thrust at high mach numbers, Sega said.
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