CGSR Seminar Series | U.S. National Security Space Strategy: The Cold War to the Present

Talk Abstract

At the present time, U.S. government officials are faced with the increasingly complex task of protecting critical national security space infrastructure in a rapidly evolving threat environment. When placed in a historical context, we find that anxiety about space security is not new. Since the 1960s, the vulnerability and protection of intelligence and military space systems have been national-level policy concerns. A key shift took place in the 1970s that changed the American approach to the space domain: both the United States and the Soviet Union began using satellites for tactical-level operations. This necessitated a move away from a primarily deterrence-based U.S. model of space security, towards an offensive posture. This transformation prompted the White House to endorse the development of offensive space weapons to negate, not just deter. It is imperative to understand how the Cold War has shaped U.S. national space policy, but the challenges we face today require a different approach. The current U.S. strategy must emphasize diplomatic engagement, non-kinetic space weapons, and cross-domain solutions.

Speaker Biography

Aaron Bateman is a PhD student in the history of science and technology at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to graduate school, he served as a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer with assignments at the National Security Agency and the Pentagon. He led an inter-agency effort to improve the Department of Defense’s and Intelligence Community’s ability to evaluate and respond to space threats. In addition to his academic work, he provides subject matter expertise on national security space issues for the Pentagon and the Intelligence Community.

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