Impact of the Soviet Union's Demise on the U.S. Military Space Program.

摘要

The impact of the Soviet Union's demise on the US military space program is counterintuitive. Not only does our increasing dependence on space systems preclude a peace dividend from space, but the unspecified regional threats identified in US national strategy documents will likely be equipped with space capabilities much earlier than expected. This is due to the dire economic straits in which the former Soviet space program finds itself--it must market its products, services, and technology to any and all buyers at cut rate prices to earn the hard currency necessary for the program's survival. With little market potential in the West, nations in the developing world--newly awakened by DESERT STORM to the military leverage offered by space--have a high potential to either become customers of the former Soviet space program or employers of its expatriate scientists. Consequently, in addition to maintaining and improving its existing space force structure, the US must vigorously pursue any and all means of achieving space control, both in the sense of denying an enemy use of his space-based force enhancement assets and in the sense of preserving its own.