Opinion
Opinion section includes op-eds, columns, commentaries and editorials on all things related to the global space business enterprise.
Op-ed | The U.S. Space Force must be independent but not insular
The Space Force cannot be insular, aloof, or detached from clear and present security challenges and joint needs in the terrestrial domains.
New FlexGround Service Delivers High-Speed Broadband to Forces in Remote Areas
For more than five decades, Intelsat General has been providing the satellite capacity and the services needed by the U.S. and allied governments to support troops operating in the world’s hot spots.
The United States should follow France’s lead in space
Sometimes, even when you’re No. 1, it pays to follow another’s lead. A case in point is the French Government’s recent announcement to develop bodyguard spacecraft to protect its satellites against Russian and Chinese robotic spacecraft capable of rendezvous and proximity operations.
Military sees value in commercial data, but needs to figure out how to buy it
The emergence of commercial suppliers of SSA data, short for space situational awareness, has led to a rethinking of how the Defense Department should invest its SSA dollars.
Op-Ed | Moving from “oversight” to “transparency”
Certainly, we have taken some important steps, such as setting up the SDA, SMC 2.0, moving ORS to an RCO, implementing section 804 of the 2016 NDAA, and OTA’s. However, these changes in and of themselves are not enough.
Foust Forward | Worldwide, there are 131 small launch vehicles in the works. Most of these will fizzle out.
There’s almost universal agreement in the industry that there are far many more small launchers under development than can be supported by even the most optimistic forecasts of smallsat development.
Op-ed | How Women’s Equality Day looks from space
NASA astronaut Christina Koch reflects on Women’s Equality Day and her work on the International Space Station as she reaches the halfway point in her mission on the station.
Op-ed | It’s time for a 21st century licensing system for space
The FAA’s former commercial space transportation describes what he thinks a 21st century licensing system should look like — at the very top level — and offers some ideas on the best way to implement such a regime.
No legal stones left unturned in the battle for U.S. Air Force launch contracts
SpaceX and Blue Origin both have already taken legal action against the Air Force, arguing that it has failed to create a level playing field for them and other companies to be able to challenge heavily favored ULA.
Op-ed | NASA must shift its focus to infrastructure and capabilities that support dynamic missions
Five decades after Apollo, NASA — burdened with an old-school management culture — originally offered a linear, programmatic solution to its most recent White House mandate to return Americans sustainably to the moon. That was a mistake, but it need not be a fatal one.
How Satellite Closes the Income Gap
The world is full of sharp disparities between the privileged and those struggling for access: access to good work, to knowledge, to the means to pursue their calling and preserve their communities. Around the world, dedicated people are using tec…
Op-ed | Is AI key to the survival of satcoms?
As the world becomes more connected, many don’t see a need for satellite, yet we must remind ourselves that the global communications network cannot survive without satellite communication. How can satellite services survive? Could artificial intelligence (AI) be the answer?
A More Secure Space Weapons System Starts with Cyber
As modern weapons systems become more automated and connected, they become more vulnerable to cyber threats: attacks on IP addresses, radio frequency (RF) manipulation, supply chain risk, human error (e.g., downloading a malicious attachment), and…
Analysis | Are smallsats entering the maturity stage?
The smallsat market, still rife with uncertainty, is at the beginning of an explosive growth cycle as large scale, expensive constellations face their initial launch.
Op-ed | India-China space collaboration is worth a try
For the last two decades, India and China have been engaged in an undeclared space race marked more by regional rivalry than neighborly competition. But that doesn't mean the two nations shouldn't give space cooperation a shot.
Op-ed | Two more rules for building a megaconstellation
While the concept of constellation is not new, the challenges connected to operating hundreds of spacecraft at the same time are yet to be fully understood.
