New Orbit for American Space Power

摘要

No ONE doubts that America's military space forces have awesome capabilities. They can spot a missile firing before the missile clears the launcher, beam an encyclopedia's worth of data around the world in an instant, and guide weapons through windows without hitting the sash. Air Force space forces have put together a streak, as of last November, of 32 straight successful launches of payload-car-rying rockets. Given these circumstances, it is easy to forget it took a defeat to propel the United States to superiority in space, notes G en. John P. Jumper, the Air Force Chief of Staff. On Oct. 4, 1957, the West heard the beeps and squeaks emanating from the Sputnik satellite, signifying the Soviet Union had won the race to space. "This nation was shocked," Jumper told an Air Force Association national symposium held Nov. 21 in Los Angeles. "We were behind"― and didn't like it.