Opinion
Opinion section includes op-eds, columns, commentaries and editorials on all things related to the global space business enterprise.
Op-ed | Ensuring peaceful use of space an important goal for U.S. and allies
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Goldfein: 'Our goal is to prevent and deter conflict'
Op-ed | Lunar Gateway or Moon Direct?
NASA has proposed to build a lunar orbiting space station, called the lunar Gateway, to use as a base for lunar exploration. This plan is severely defective.
AI for Earth observation and numerical weather prediction
Machine learning and other artificial intelligence techniques could help forecasters get more out of these data by improving accuracy and speed in almost every step of turning satellite observations into actionable forecasts.
Why consensus on standards & performance matters in commercial space
For many years, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) and the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) have recognized the importance of developing industry voluntary consensus standards.
Why we need to avoid more anti-satellite tests
Even “responsible” ASAT tests put other space users at risk.
Op-ed | India’s ASAT test is wake-up call for norms of behavior in space
Internationally, the Indian test is further evidence of the more complex space domain, the lack of progress on developing norms of behavior for space, and the challenges of ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Foust Forward | Commercial space reform still a work in progress
Despite a fast and furious pace, there are some overdue milestones for both the Commerce Department and the rest of the government.
Op-ed | Nuclear vulnerability: In-orbit bodyguards would help protect NC3 satellites from attacks
At this 11th hour, the United States can still close the window of nuclear vulnerability, provided it can choose the right approach and act now.
Op-ed | Where does space begin? The decades-long legal mission to find the border between air and space
No one at present can say with certainty – from a legal perspective – where the “Earth” ends and where “outer space” begins.
Op-ed | Commercializing Space: Before a commercial LEO market can flourish, the ISS must be retired
I’m a firm believer that the commercialization of space is absolutely essential for the growth of the space economy and achieving all of the goals we espouse for human activities in space.
Op-ed | Protecting low Earth orbit from becoming the new Wild West
If outer space is the "final frontier," the private commercialization of low Earth orbit — about 100-1,200 miles up — could become the new Wild West if we're not careful.
Op-ed | The rocky landscape for astrophysics
Aside from the gaping hole in capabilities that WFIRST was uniquely designed to fill in the 2020s, NASA's projected out-year budget delivers a knock-out punch to future U.S. leadership in space astrophysics
On National Security | The SpaceX-ULA proxy war is heating up
Reviews of SpaceX and ULA, regardless of whether or how they might be connected, are a reminder of the dog-eat-dog world of military space launch.
Op-Ed | Getting space right is both a national security and an economic question
The next war won’t take place on the ground or the skies alone, but will take place in space, too.
Foust Forward | The government shutdown’s shadow on commercial space
The shutdown created plenty of more figurative messes that NASA and other government agencies had to clean up after the 35-day shutdown ended in late January.
Op-ed | Sustainability on Earth depends on our exploration of space
Some may wonder why a space agency, which focuses on furthering human knowledge of the universe which surrounds us and designing satellites and probes which can withstand the harsh conditions beyond this planet, is concerning itself with environmental protection.
