Same Bad Idea Revisited

摘要

Once again the topic of converting excess Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles to commercial launchers has returned to Washington. The current policy-supported by the White House and Congress for over 20 years - states that before excess ICBMs can be used for satellite launches, the Secretary of Defense must determine they are more cost-effective than current commercial services, and that they do not compete with the private sector. Converting ICBM's to launchers was a bad idea when it was brought up the last three times, and it's an even worse idea now. Two decades of consistent, bipartisan space policy have sparked billions in private investment in a robust domestic commercial space industry. The current Space Transportation Policy, released by the White House in 2013, commits the government to "encouraging ... a viable ... and competitive U.S. commercial space transportation industry" while avoiding actions that might "discourage, or compete with U.S. commercial space transportation companies."