Technology Challenges For Operationally Responsive Spacelift

Technology Challenges for Operationally Responsive Spacelift

Technology Challenges for Operationally Responsive Spacelift

Space has become a critical part of the United States' warfighting capability and requires that future space systems become more responsive than the current systems of reusable and expendable launch vehicles. The US military relies on space assets for communication, navigation, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Our adversaries also recognize our reliance on space technology and are moving forward to deny us the use of those systems. To reduce our vulnerability to those threats, the United States must have the ability to responsively replace, supplement, and service its space assets. Although the development and operational use of systems that will support the evolving mission areas of space control and force application will be subject to political and fiscal leadership decisions, they will also require responsive spacelift capabilities and it is prudent to include those considerations in spacelift planning.

Evaluation of the National Aerospace Initiative

The National Aerospace Initiative (NAI) was conceived as a joint effort between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to sustain the aerospace leadership of the United States through the acceleration of selected aerospace technologies: hypersonic flight, access to space, and space technologies. The Air Force became concerned about the NAI's possible consequences on Air Force programs and budget if NAI program decisions differed from Air Force priorities. To examine this issue, it asked the NRC for an independent review of the NAI. This report presents the results of that assessment. It focuses on three questions asked by the Air Force: is NAI technically feasible in the time frame laid out; is it financially feasible over that period; and is it operationally relevant.