NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence: MilitarySpace

Military Space - The Sky Is Falling

Michael D'Alessandro — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:26:30 GMT

The Atlantic - An interesting article that puts the material discussed here in a different perspective by describing a poorly understood but serious threat to mankind.

The odds that a potentially devastating space rock will hit Earth this century may be as high as one in 10.

So why isn’t NASA trying harder to prevent catastrophe?

And why is the US Air Force interested in working this problem?

Military Space - A flower in the polar sky: the POPPY signals intelligence satellite and ocean surveillance

Michael D'Alessandro — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:16:50 GMT

Space Review - In the 1960s the US Navy developed the POPPY series of satellites designed to identify the location of Soviet radars and naval vessels. Dwayne Day examines the history of this satellite program, including new information on the role these satellites played in the Cold War.

Military Space - How China Loses the Coming Space War

Michael D'Alessandro — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:22:50 GMT

Wired - A year ago, China knocked a weather satellite out of orbit, and threw the international community into panic. Some figured the satellite-killer test was the harbinger of a future war in space -- the kind of conflict that could cripple a tech-dependent United States military. Geoffrey Forden, PhD -- an MIT research associate and a former UN weapons inspector and strategic weapons analyst at the Congressional Budget Office -- examines the possibilities of an all-out Chinese assault on American satellites.

Read all three parts: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Military Space - Disharmony in the spheres

Michael D'Alessandro — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:38:22 GMT

Economist - Modern American warfare relies on satellites. They make America powerful but also vulnerable, particularly in light of China's new celestial assertiveness

Military Space - Space and the 2000 ship Navy

Michael D'Alessandro — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:41:15 GMT

Space Review - A new maritime strategy document calls for the creation of a multinational network of sensors and communications to enable better cooperation among the world’s navies. Taylor Dinerman examines the role space would play in such a strategy, and the institutional obstacles it faces within the Pentagon.

Military Space - Chinese missile destroys satellite in space

Michael D'Alessandro — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:12:34 GMT

Daily Telegraph - The prospect of "Star Wars" between China and the West loomed last night after Beijing used a ballistic missile to destroy a satellite in space.

BBC - US condemns China 'space weapon'.

The Times - 'Star Wars' missile test heralds new arms race in space.

Military Space - Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority

Michael D'Alessandro — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:16:56 GMT

Washington Post - President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

Military Space - Space and Counterspace

Michael D'Alessandro — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:13:42 GMT

Air Force - Space superiority cannot be taken for granted, so the Air Force is making plans to defend it.

Military Space - Military Satellites 2006

Michael D'Alessandro — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:01:53 GMT

Center for Defense Information - Excellent summary that points out that critical space capabilities are evolving rapidly throughout the world. The age of microsatellites and low-cost launch will dramatically lower the threshold for nations desiring space capabilities, likely producing a space-faring boom. The dissemination of imagery capabilities useful for military operations as well as space surveillance capabilities will continue – meaning that there will soon be “no place to hide’ either on Earth or in space. (PDF format)

Military Space - I Spy

Michael D'Alessandro — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 10:46:49 GMT

Wired - Amateur satellite spotters can track everything government spymasters blast into orbit. Except the stealth bird codenamed Misty.

Military Space - Cold War spy satellite program declassified

Michael D'Alessandro — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 10:48:52 GMT

Space.com - The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), National Security Agency (NSA) and Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have declassified the fact that a series of satellites was orbited from 1962 through 1971, designated POPPY. POPPY’s mission was to collect radar emissions from Soviet naval vessels.

Military Space - Space-Based Weapons

Michael D'Alessandro — Sun, 17 Jul 2005 09:23:46 GMT

Naval War College Review - Basing weapons in space might in the short term increase U.S. military capabilities, but their broader, long-term effect would be negative-especially because of likely foreign responses, inherent vulnerabilities, and crisis destabilization. A decision not to deploy weapons in space, and a treaty discouraging other nations from deploying them, would be much more in the national interest.

Military Space - Surprises Lurk in Satellite Snap

Michael D'Alessandro — Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:07:42 GMT

Wired - A look at some of the amazing capability of commercial imaging satellites. Make sure to look at the photo gallery.

Military Space - Pentagon Has Far-Reaching Defense Spacecraft in Works

Michael D'Alessandro — Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:14:01 GMT

Washingtion Post - A succinct description of the Pentagon's plans for space over the next 5 years.