Delegate Research Information
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MSC 65th Student Conference on National Affairs Texas A&M University Delegate Research Information Round Table To Infinity and Beyond! Facilitator: TBD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This delegate research information is not intended to be a comprehensive assessment of your assigned round table topic, but rather a starting point to help launch your own personal investigations into the various associated issues. It is encouraged, if not expected, that your policy proposals will be inclusive of aspects pertaining to your round table topic that are not covered in this research compilation. You, your facilitator, your round table host, and your fellow roundtable delegates are all responsible for crafting a policy proposal that takes this into consideration. Terms & Actors Terms Ballistic Missiles- a missile that does not need to be steered to its destination and that has a high, arching trajectory. There are different kinds with different capabilities. Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004- provided guidelines for regulating the safety of commercial human spaceflight in the United States under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Cyber Security- the protection of internet-connected systems, including hardware, software and data, from cyberattacks. Five United Nations Treaties on Outer Space- consists of the “Outer Space Treaty”, “Rescue Agreement”, “Liability Convention”, “Registration Convention”, and “Moon Agreement”. These treaties deal with issues such as the non-appropriation of outer space by any one country, arms control, the freedom of exploration, and more. The International Space Station (ISS)- a space station that doubles as a research laboratory and is a part of a joint project between five space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA. Jammers- a transmitter that can disrupt signals. Killer Satellite- a type of anti-satellite weapon that can be deployed in space and interact with other satellites. Russia has been rumored to be developing it, but nothing has been proven. Lunar Gateway- a proposed space station in lunar orbit that the United States and Canada are developing together. Lunar Resources- natural resources that are available on the moon. Scientists speculate that rare earths could be an example of resources that can be found on the moon. New Space Race- The New Space Race could be used in reference to the competition among the billionaires who lead private space companies, or it is in reference to the competition between nations regarding achievements in the field of space exploration. Rover- a vehicle for driving over rough terrain. Space programs use specially designed rovers for exploring the Moon, Mars, and whatever else. Satellites- an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth or moon or another planet in order to collect information or for communication. Space Assets- space equipment that is used by a country. That could include satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, etc. Space Debris- scattered remains from previous satellites and other space technology that has been damaged. Millions of debris is trapped in spinning in Earth’s orbit at speeds of 17,500 mph that could easily damage any space assets. Space Force- a United States military branch that will officially be in place by 2020. It is expected to fall under the purview of the Air Force and will be tasked with conducting space warfare. Space Policy Directive One- a change in national space policy that provides for a U.S.-led, integrated program with private sector partners for a human return to the Moon, followed by missions to Mars and beyond. U.S. Space Command- a major command of the United States Air Force, it supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of space operations. Actors JAXA- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, a Japanese agency designed to further Japan’s developments in space. India- a country in South Asia that has recently become a major player in space exploration. NASA- National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency within the American federal government that is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Roscosmos- the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities is a Russian state corporation responsible for the wide range and types of space flights and cosmonautics programs. Xi Jinping- President of the People’s Republic of China and Chairman of the Communist Party of China. Strategic Support Force (SSF)- a service branch of the PLA, handles cyber, space, and electronic warfare. Army Rocket Force- a service branch of the PLA, it controls China’s arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles. The People's Liberation Army (PLA)- the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China. SpaceX- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company. Boeing- a private American aerospace manufacturer that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. Blue Origin- a private American aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company. Elon Musk- CEO of SpaceX and founder of Tesla, Inc. Patrick Shanahan- the acting Secretary of Defense since January 1, 2019, however, as of July 25, 2019 the current acting Secretary of Defense is now Mark Esper. Department of Defense- a cabinet department of the United States federal government with responsibilities. All of the military branches and commands fall under the purview of this department, meaning that anything that has to do with America’s national security runs through it. U.S. Air Force- a service branch of the United States military. It is tasked with conducting air and space operations, including running satellites and intercontinental ballistic missiles (IMBs). Analysis Overview On January 3, 2019, China made history when it landed a rover on the far side of the moon.1 China is not the only country that has taken steps to improve its space programs lately. In April 2019, Israel launched a spacecraft which ultimately ended in a crash, meanwhile India intends to launch a lunar exploration mission called Chandrayaan 2 in July 2019.2 At the Fifth Meeting of the National Space Council, Vice President Mike Pence said, “...Make no mistake about it: We’re in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s, and the stakes are even higher.”3 With that mentality in mind, the United States has taken steps to remain the leading nation in space exploration, with the help of private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing. Privatized space travel was legalized in 2004 under the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act.4 Since then, the number of private companies interested in space exploration has increased. Private companies may have larger funds and more freedom to allocate those funds wherever they want to. NASA’s budget is limited and the use of its funds is dictated by the federal government. Having the addition of private companies involved allows for gaps to be filled in space exploration. Furthermore, the private companies can compete with one another, as well as other countries. As we all know, greater competition leads to greater innovation, and is 1 Steven Lee Meyers and Zoe Mou, “‘New Chapter’ in Space Exploration as China Reaches Far Side of the Moon,” The New York Times, January 2, 2019, at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/world/asia/china-change-4- moon.html?action=click&module=inline&pgtype=Homepage 2 Kenneth Chang, “Moon Landing by Israel’s Beresheet Spacecraft Ends in Crash,” The New York Times, April 11, 2019, at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/science/israel-moon-landing-beresheet.html 3 “Remarks by Vice President Pence at the Fifth Meeting of the National Space Council Huntsville, AL,” White House Briefings and Statements, March 26, 2019, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks- vice-president-pence-fifth-meeting-national-space-council-huntsville-al/ 4 House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, "House Approves H.R. 3752, The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004," Space Ref, March 4, 2004, at http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=13774 good for the economy. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, intends on leading his company to developing technology that would allow humans to colonize Mars.5 To provide context for the sudden urgency in space development, India, China, and other nations have heavily invested in their respective space programs. In regards to both strategy and pride, the United States cannot afford to fall behind. To be quite frank, China has emerged as the primary rival of this iteration of the space race and is using this playing field as another way to combat the United States in the revived Great Powers competition.6 But China is not the only player in this game. India was mentioned earlier, and has initiated programs to develop its own space station and to send a rover to the moon. Despite the fact that there have been no reported developments for Russia’s space program, it should not be discounted. Russia is still a major player in this frontier, although it may be falling to the background. There are roughly 901 satellites in space that belong to the United States, each one with a specific purpose. Satellites enable functionality for technology that is used to run our nation’s critical infrastructure, including our economy, cybersecurity, and overall national