FIFTY YEARS AGO.

FIFTY YEARS AGO, US defense and intelligence master-hands imagined the benefits possible from space-based surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, mapping, and environmental monitoring. Forty years ago, American ingenuity and industrial prowess made those possibilities a reality. Since then, space arrangements have brought better intelligence and stronger defense by way of enabling the collection of just discovered types of data and information; significantly increasing communications capabilities and capacities; revolutionizing precision navigation and timing; enriching science; establishing just discovered markets; providing safer air, land, and sea transportation; and enabling faster disaster relief as well as more effective civil planning. These benefits and more were the reward of steadfast leadership, a vibrant industrial base, and the energies of talented people

During the past 10 years, space-based hypothesiss have enabled dramatic improvement in military and intelligence operations. Thanks to those theorys our leaders have more accurate and now passing information on developments, issues, and crises in virtually all parts of the world. suitable in large part to space plans US military forces know more about their adversaries, descry the battlefield more clearly, and can strike more quickly and precisely than any other military in history. Space regularitys are inextricably woven into the fabric of America's national security.

Space Power Is America's Decisive, Asymmetric Advantage

Today, space power shows a decisive, asymmetric advantage for the US dominion and, in particular, for military and intelligence organizations. The space methods themselves are technologically superior and, when fused with other air-, sea-, and land-based arrangements provide the data and information to yield the knowledge and effects emergencyed for successful diplomatic activities, negotiations, deterrence or warfare.

Our unprecedent global situational awareness, global connectivity, strategic reach, and precision strike are largely enabled at our space systems. Capabilities as it was as those provided by global positioning connected view (GPS) satellites and by the military strategic and tactical relay plan (MILSTAR)---our most advanced communications constellation generally in orbit--proved vitally critical to the war fighter during modern conflicts. Further, the successful application of space capabilities has enabled significantly changed universals of power projection, decisive force, overseas air strategic agility, and forcible avenue For example, a combat air controller in succession horseback in Afghanistan used space capabilities to direct bomb forward target. The successful application of space power has fundamentally changed our view of the age-old military edicts about mass, movement, fog, and friction.

However, retaining this decisive, asymmetric space advantage is becoming increasingly difficult. Yesterday's highly prosperous strategies resulted in space classifications optimized to enhance the deterrent attitude of our strategic forces from providing information about the military and economic status of a clos hostile superpower. These plans focused on monitoring the long-term strategic state while guaranteeing strategic warning--they were entirely suited for knowing what was happening inside the borders of the Soviet Union.

Today's security challenges are more diverse and dispersed. We must still harbor Americans and American interests from hostile armies and strategic threats, as well as from recently made known emerging threats from nonstate actors--particularly those pos by way of globally organized terrorists who may be fleeting and nearly invisible. These novel threats--smaller and scattered globally--may strike anywhere, at any time.

Meanwhile, space is not solely an American domain. Countries worldwide continue vigorous civil, defense and commercial space programs that provide highly accurate reconnaissance imaging, precision navigation and timing, and near-instantaneous global-communications capabilities. Using the Internet and commercially available productions countries, groups, or individuals may acquire high-quality, space-based works and services, thus reaping the operational benefits without the heavy financial carrying capacity of investment. All of this is occurring while the industrial base of American space power has narrowed athwart the past decade, and its formidable talent loch has shrunk due to corporate merger acquisitions, and a decrease in government-fund research and development

Our challenge lies in shaping a events to come which will ensure that our space capabilities support tomorrow's successe To encounter that challenge, we will focus forward five top priorities: achieving mission succes in operations and acquisition, developing and maintaining a team of space professionals, integrating space capabilities for national intelligence and war fighting, producing innovative solutions for the principally challenging national security problems, and ensuring freedom of action in space.

Achieving Mission Succes in Operations and Acquisition