US ‘Space Diplomacy’ strategy seeks to counter ‘competitors’ soft-power plays

US ‘Space Diplomacy’ strategy seeks to counter ‘competitors’ soft-power plays
US ‘Space Diplomacy’ strategy seeks to counter ‘competitors’ soft-power plays

“Despite the focus on diplomacy and governance and references to ‘humanity,’ it’s not a warm and fuzzy policy,” Jessica West, of Canada’s Project Ploughshares, explained. “It is firmly rooted in national interest — which is fair.”

DoD Faces Tough Decisions On Space Rules

DoD Faces Tough Decisions On Space Rules
DoD Faces Tough Decisions On Space Rules

“The understanding of what deterrence is has been misinterpreted, reinterpreted, run through a ringer, chopped up and turned into a hamburger. I mean, it’s just that nobody there [at DoD] seems to understand what it means exactly,” one former government official said.

White House Unveils New Space Policy, But Does It Matter?

White House Unveils New Space Policy, But Does It Matter?
White House Unveils New Space Policy, But Does It Matter?

“I just think it’s a little too late for trying to have a stamp on something. It is just trying to say that they did something,” said veteran space policy wonk Erin Neal.

Court Throws Out Orbital Suit Against DARPA

Court Throws Out Orbital Suit Against DARPA
Court Throws Out Orbital Suit Against DARPA

A Virginia federal court has thrown out a suit by Orbital ATK, basically arguing that while the company’s arguments might have some merits, the court did not have the legal right to cancel a DARPA program. Orbital ATK is building a system it believes competes directly with the DARPA program, known as Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous…

OSD To Review DARPA Sat Robot Program

OSD To Review DARPA Sat Robot Program
OSD To Review DARPA Sat Robot Program

WASHINGTON: Faced with a lawsuit by Orbital ATK and congressional concerns that its robotic satellite servicing program may violate the National Space Policy, the Office of Secretary of Defense has launched a review of the DARPA program. The news was included in an afternoon DARPA press release announcing the contract award to Space Services Loral (SSL),…

DARPA Program Mired In Controversy As Orbital ATK Files Suit

DARPA Program Mired In Controversy As Orbital ATK Files Suit
DARPA Program Mired In Controversy As Orbital ATK Files Suit

WASHINGTON: A robot satellite repair system under development by DARPA has drawn the baleful glances of half-a-dozen congressmen and a lawsuit to block it by aerospace company Orbital ATK. The technology, known as Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites, would offer enormous benefits to both the National Reconnaissance Office, operator of our spy satellites, as well as the…

Lawmakers Call For Halt To DARPA Program: Robots Repairing Satellites

Lawmakers Call For Halt To DARPA Program: Robots Repairing Satellites
Lawmakers Call For Halt To DARPA Program: Robots Repairing Satellites

WASHINGTON: Three influential House lawmakers have asked DARPA in a Jan. 25 letter to review a robotic space repair program to see if it violates the National Space Policy by competing with private-sector efforts and to put the program on hold until the review is complete. The National Space Policy requires “that the government not build or…

Space Policy Needs A Reset Too

OSD recently appointed a new acting deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for space policy, and, assuming he keeps the job beyond January, he (or his replacement) might consider shifting his attention to some of the very difficult challenges facing space programs in the Defense Department. First among those would be efforts to build military space…