Space Studies Colloquium Series continues on October 11th with Dr. Peter Hays, Lt. Col. (Ret.)
The Fall 2010 Colloquium Series focuses on the general theme “Space Policy” and features several leading experts in the field.
The second in this series of presentations will be presented by Dr. Peter Hays, Lt. Col. (Ret.), Senior Scientist, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Topic: National Security Space: Opportunities and Challenges
Place: Ryan Hall 111
Date: Monday, October 11, 2010
Time: 4:00 PM
About the topic: Recent military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo indicate space capabilities have become a foundational enabler of most U.S. military actions and an increasingly important component of U.S. national security. Worldwide, there is growing recognition and focus on the broad and ubiquitous contributions space capabilities make to global prosperity and security. The 2001 Space Commission Report found that because U.S. military and economic security has become so dependent on space capabilities, the nation could face a “space Pearl Harbor.” The U.S. National Space Policy released in October 2006 stated: “In this new century, those who effectively utilize space will enjoy added prosperity and security and will hold a substantial advantage over those who do not. Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power.” And the National Space Policy of the United States of America released in June 2010 indicates: “Space systems allow people and governments around the world to see with clarity, communicate with certainty, navigate with accuracy, and operate with assurance.”
As space becomes an increasingly congested, competitive, and contested environment, the United States must consider more effective ways to assure delivery of space capabilities by leveraging state-of-the-world commercial and international capabilities and rebalancing modernization priorities. There are also tensions between desires to sustain asymmetric advantages space provides the United States and the principle of assuring the use of space by all responsible parties for peaceful purposes. Ultimately, these factors inform debates over the need for counterspace capabilities and about the wisdom and feasibility of stationing force application systems—“space weapons”—in orbit. This presentation will address these and other issues associated with U.S. strategy, policy, management, and organization for the national security uses of space.
About the speaker: Peter L. Hays works for SAIC supporting the Department of Defense and the Eisenhower Center, and teaches at George Washington University. He helps develop space policy initiatives including the National Defense University Spacepower Theory Study. Dr Hays holds a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School and was an honor graduate of the USAF Academy. He served internships at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and National Space Council and taught space policy courses at the USAF Academy, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, and National Defense University. Major publications include: Spacepower for a New Millennium; “Going Boldly—Where?” and United States Military Space.
A noon luncheon will precede this presentation on October 11th at the Space Studies Library.
Those unable to attend in person may view the live webcast by using one of the links found at
http://learn.aero.und.edu/pages.asp?PageID=150495
This presentation may be archived at the Colloquium website for later viewing. This site is located at http://www.space.edu/Academic%20Programs/colloquium.aspx
