Space

Space Functions

   Many space functions, processes and programs have been addressed in the preceding pages, to the extent that an overview document allows. Many occupy the full attention of dedicated experts across the space community as we look to a new century in which space products and services are increasingly integrated into our daily lives, as well as into the ways we manage crises and, if need be, wage war. The challenges are many, but the following areas will merit our special attention:

1. Support to Warfighters, namely —

Making sure that space programs are "consumer-oriented";

Fully educating the warfighters on uses and the utility of space;

Ensuring that information dominance is a reality; and

Enhancing coalition operations through international cooperation in space.

2. Management, specifically —

Continued improvements in efficiencies and economies; and

Continued integration of the defense and intelligence space programs.

3. Communications, with emphasis on —

Eliminating the movement of information as a constraint on the warfighter;

Transitioning our legacy MILSATCOM systems to the approved future architecture; and

Efficiently investing $50-60 billion over the next twenty years for modernization.

4. Launch, with emphasis on —

Drastically reducing the cost-per-pound of spacelift;

Reducing launch turnaround times from months to hours; and

Modernization and maintenance of the launch function's ground infrastructure.

   If everybody across the space community plays a part, we will meet the national security objectives of our National Space Policy. The architectures that we seek to establish and implement will become easier to attain, and our long-range objectives will come within reach. If the next twenty-five years of progress in space match the last twenty-five years, we will have come a long way indeed.