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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 Amendments Act of 2004- provided guidelines for regulating the safety of commercial human 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 - consists of the “”, “”, “Liability Convention”, “”, and “ 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 (ISS)- a space station that doubles as a research laboratory and is a part of a joint project between five space agencies: NASA, , JAXA, ESA, and CSA. Jammers- a transmitter that can disrupt signals. Killer - a type of anti-satellite weapon that can be deployed in space and interact with other . has been rumored to be developing it, but nothing has been proven. - a proposed space station in lunar orbit that the United States and Canada are developing together. - 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 - 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 . 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. - scattered remains from previous satellites and other 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. - a United States branch that will officially be in place by 2020. It is expected to fall under the purview of the and will be tasked with conducting . 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. - a major command of the , 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 and Chairman of the Communist Party of China. Strategic Support Force (SSF)- a service branch of the PLA, handles cyber, space, and electronic warfare. 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. - a private American aerospace manufacturer that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, , satellites, and missiles worldwide. - a private American aerospace manufacturer and sub- services company. Elon Musk- CEO of SpaceX and founder of , 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 .1 China is not the only country that has taken steps to improve its space programs lately.

In April 2019, Israel launched a 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 , Vice President 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,” , 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, “ 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,” 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 defense.7

Satellites act as our eyes, ears, and overall nervous system for national security. Unfortunately, our space assets are vulnerable to attack. Other nations are developing anti-satellite (ASAT)

5 Dave Mosher, “Elon Musk says SpaceX is on track to launch people to Mars within 6 years — here's the full timeline of his plans to populate the red planet,” Business Insider, November 2, 2018, at https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-mars-plan-timeline-2018-10 6 Charlie Campbell, “From Satellites to the Moon and Mars, China Is Quickly Becoming a Space Superpower,” Time Magazine, July 17, 2019, at https://time.com/5623537/china-space/ 7 Gregory Falco, “Job One for Space Force: Space Asset Cybersecurity,” Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, July 2018, at https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/files/publication/CSP%20Falco%20Space%20Asset%20-%20FINAL .pdf technology specifically designed to disable or destroy satellites.8 Additionally, there are millions of pieces of space debris circulating in Earth’s orbit that could potentially strike the satellites.9

The United States has risen to the challenge that new space race has brought forth. In response, President Trump issued Space Policy Directive-1 in 2017, which set in place a new national policy about the U.S. space program. In 2018, he also ordered the creation of a Space

Force, which will fall under the purview of the United States Air Force, and increased budget.10 His administration has made space development a priority, and even pushed up

NASA’s timeline in order to remain competitive. To aid in its endeavors, the U.S. has teamed up with ally nations on various joint missions. For example, the United States and Canada will be working together on the development of the Lunar Gateway. The intent is for the Lunar Gateway to act as a stepping stone for future exploration to Mars.11 The United States has also partnered with the International Space Station (ISS) countries for future exploration.

In conclusion, the United States has entered a new era of competition between rival countries, with one of the battlefields being space. Some analysts have questioned if the U.S. will be able to win this round due to the years of little investment towards space technology development. This is where private companies can assist. Not only do they have additional funds and shared interests, but they can research and explore ideas that perhaps the federal government cannot budget at this time. Additionally, private companies and the federal government can share resources, resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship and ultimately strengthening national

8 Gerry Doyle, “Factbox: Anti-satellite weapons: rare, high-tech, and risky to test,” Reuters, March 27, 2019, at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-satellite-tests-factbox/factbox-anti-satellite-weapons-rare-high-tech-and- risky-to-test-idUSKCN1R80UW 9 Maggie Wei-Haas, “Space junk is a huge problem- and it’s only getting bigger,” National Geographic, April 25, 2019, at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/reference/space-junk/ 10 “New Space Policy Directive Calls for Human Expansion Across Solar System,” NASA, December 11, 2017, at https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/new-space-policy-directive-calls-for-human-expansion-across-solar-system 11 “The Lunar Gateway,” , last modified July 25, 2019, at http://www.asc- csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/moon-exploration/lunar-gateway.asp security. Rival countries have spurred America’s reinvestment into space programs, but does the

United States have the policies in place to help it win the race? What laws will be in place for the final frontier?

Additional Resources

Media Links: ● Celebrating Apollo as We Push Forward to the Moon ○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVNHOX_jWvo ○ NASA produced this motivating video celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon missions. It also announced NASA’s intention to get Americans back to the moon, and then to Mars. ● “Voyage to the Moon: 50 Years Ago Today” ○ https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/voyage-moon-50-years-ago-and- today ○ This video by the Air and Space museum discusses what NASA learned from the . ● “Should Space Be Privatized?” ○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7d503fN-g ○ PBS Space Time presents a thoughtful video that considers if space should be privatized. The video examines the legalization of commercial space exploration, recent innovations and milestones, and the future of space. ● “SpaceX and Commercial Space Exploration | StarTalk” ○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HLKE06rOJs&list=PLivjPDlt6ApRPbvEU GTe2438SaLmz9v5v&index=58 ○ Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses his opinion on whether or not SpaceX and other private companies will be the future of space exploration. News Articles: ● “Japan, U.S. to cooperate for 2024 manned mission to moon” ○ http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201905230070.html ○ The United States and Japan have agreed to work together on multiple space missions. The Asahi Shimbun article goes over some of the details of that agreement; however, more details can be found on the State Department website. ● “China Launches Rocket from Ship at Sea for First Time” ○ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-space/china-launches-rocket-from-ship- at-sea-for-first-time-idUSKCN1T60GW ○ Reuters reported that China launched a rocket from a floating sea launch platform, making it the first country to fully own and operate that type of platform. China has invested many resources into its space program, with aims to surpass the United States and become a major space power by 2030. ● “China has a Head Start in the New Space Race” ○ https://thediplomat.com/2019/05/china-has-a-head-start-in-the-new-space-race/ ○ The Diplomat analyses recent space exploration activity by China and examines if the United States has fallen behind.

Scholarly Articles: ● “Sources of Extraterrestrial Rare Earth Elements: To the Moon and Beyond” ○ https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/6/3/40/pdf ○ Rare earths are a finite resource that have become increasingly necessary for technology, ranging from phones to fighter jets. Scientists speculate that there are rare earths and other valuable lunar resources on the moon, but who will have access to them? ● “Job One for Space Force: Space Asset Cybersecurity” ○ https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/files/publication/CSP%20Falco%2 0Space%20Asset%20-%20FINAL.pdf ○ Currently, our nation’s space assets are vulnerable. This publication analyzes the current state of our satellites and other assets, the capabilities of other countries to disable them, and proposed solutions to the problem. ● The Implications of the Privatization of Space Exploration ○ https://publicpolicy.wharton.upenn.edu/live/news/1619-the-implications-of-the- privatization-of-space ○ Privatized space travel was legalized in 2004, but what does that mean for innovation? This article explores the pros and cons of the privatization of space. ● “ Treaties and Principles” ○ http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties.html ○ This media link contains information regarding current laws and treaties pertaining to space. Space law and space policy are developing fields, with rules that will need to be adapted and evolved as advances are made. Official Government Sources: ● “Explore Moon to Mars” ○ https://www.nasa.gov/specials/moon2mars/ ○ This link leads to NASA’s official page about planned space exploration missions. Clicking around NASA’s site is a good way to learn a bit more about specific programs that the United States is working toward. ● “Threats to Space Assets and Implications for Homeland Security” ○ https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS29/20170329/105785/HHRG-115-AS29- Wstate-SheltonW-20170329.pdf ○ General William L. Shelton, USAF (Ret), the former commander of U.S. , testified in front of two House committees about the vulnerability of our space assets. Space assets include satellites, which if harmed can impact our infrastructure, cybersecurity, economy, among other things. ● “Challenges to Security in Space” ○ https://media.defense.gov/2019/Feb/11/2002088710/-1/-1/1/SPACE-SECURITY- CHALLENGES.PDF ○ The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released a report in February 2019 highlighting security issues in space. It is a highly detailed packet that also analyses the threat that specific countries pose in space.