Third Way: A New Look at Space
SpaceX
On May 6, 2020, SpaceX became the first private corporation to launch a manned rocket into space. The once-tiny company, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, has now joined the small order of entities that have sent men into space. The rest are the global superpowers, like the U.S., Russia/Soviet Union, and China. While some have lauded this as a new page in the history of space exploration, many have indicated that they are wary of the prospect of private companies entering a field that is dominated by governments. They are concerned that SpaceX and the new Space Force are merely ego-stroking tools for billionaires, like President Donald Trump and Musk. However others believe that the entry of private firms may signal a new renaissance in the history of space exploration.
NASA has been floundering for a while. It, along with many other government agencies and departments, suffered sharps budget cuts since the Great Recession. The biggest sign of NASA’s decline was the end of its famous space shuttle program in 2011. The of the space shuttle program resulted in the loss of numerous jobs connected to the aerospace industry. By cutting the program without any substantive plans for replacing it, NASA and its contractors lost valuable engineers and experts in the aerospace industry that are not easily replaceable. While NASA under the Obama administration was praised for its bold initiatives in conducting research into climate change, its policies regarding space exploration were lacking. NASA, under President George W. Bush, set up Project Constellation as a means to plan the return of American astronauts to the moon and incorporate it into the Earth’s economy. Upon taking office, President Barack Obama and his administration rightfully realized that the massive project was unaffordable. The Obama administration, without consulting Congress, binned Project Constellation and set up the Augustine Commission to provide alternatives. Ultimately the administration decided to not go forth with either Moon First nor the Flexible Path, the two alternative programs suggested and put forth by the Augustine Commission. The Moon First program would have refocused efforts on getting astronauts back onto the Moon while the Flexible Path would have focused on getting astronauts onto other celestial bodies, like asteroids. Both had the end goal of using the experience to plan a manned mission to Mars.
Under the Bush administration, NASA had plans of getting back to the Moon by 2020, but the Obama administration shifted the mission towards Mars. This involved a long term plan called the “Journey to Mars.” While many nations were interested in getting to the Moon, only the United States had any substantive interest in Mars. Scott Pace, the director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, told the Verge that “The journey to Mars [was] so ambitious, other countries couldn’t participate realistically in it.” This made potential space partners, like the European Space Agency, to turn to the Russian Federal Space Agency. NASA itself also lost the ability to send people into space without Russian assistance after the end of the space shuttle program.
While NASA’s space exploration programs lagged during the Obama years, it did advance research into new technology and climate science. NASA also built upon its relationships and partnerships in the private sector. NASA regularly awarded contracts to private firms, like SpaceX and Orbital ATK, to launch cargo towards the International Space Station. Previously NASA contracted the construction of certain space shuttle parts to private firms, but kept the finished product. Now private firms not just build, but play a larger role in the design and ownership of the finished product. The use of private firms is more efficient and saves NASA, and thus the taxpayer, both time and money. Even Trump, who is not known for any praise of the Obama administration, has praised the partnership between NASA and private firms.
While some may worry about the increased role private firms may have in space exploration, they must also realize that NASA as a public agency has several flaws that a private firm does not. NASA’s space stations are spread apart in different locations. This forces different tasks to be done at different places when it is not necessary. This causes unnecessary strain on public resources due to different products being unnecessarily shifted around from facility to facility. By partnering with private firms, like SpaceX or Boeing, NASA would be able to save money. While NASA is forced is to spread its work out amongst its facilities, SpaceX has no incentives to waste money by spreading production, assembly, and multiple other functions around to multiple bases and facilities. Private firms would be able to do all or most of their work and production in one or just a handful of facilities. Neil Degreasse Tyson, the famed astronomer, believes that space exploration could follow the path of the GPS industry or even the European exploration of America. NASA and other government agencies would take the lead in the new frontier, but private enterprises will follow behind. Space is dangerous and the return on investment is risky making it unlikely for a private firm to invest substantial research in its own original exploration project. At the same time, NASA cannot continue to dedicate enormous resources on delivering cargo to the ISS. By leaving basic tasks to private firms like cargo delivery, NASA is free to dedicate its resources to other ventures.
Tyson is also in favor of a Space Force. On December 20, 2019, the United States Space Force became an independent military branch. This has been met with mixed reactions. Jim Mattis, the Secretary of Defense at the time,stated that he had no desire to add “additional organizational and administrative tail” to the military when the idea was unexpectedly announced in 2018. Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee (D) and Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama (R) have cited the increased threat from Chinese and Russian anti-satellite capabilities and the Air Force’s neglect of Space Command as reasons for an independent Space Force. Rogers argued that “this is about money. As long as space is in the [Air Force] portfolio, they can move money from space to support fighter jets, bombers, or whatever. The Air Force is run by fighter pilots. Space will always lose.” Both legislators planned on a bill that would make an independent space corps that under the Air Force’s wing, but Trump took a step further and made the Space Force its own independent military branch.
Many in the public saw the president’s announcement of a new military branch as an act of ego with the Nation’s William B. Hartung arguing that Trump’s plans regarding Space Force is based around “stroking his own ego and pumping his political base.” To add to this, Trump’s announcement of Space Force was unexpected and took even Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Space Council were taken by surprise. To add to this sense of confusion, Netflix secured the trademark to the name “Space Force” for its own tv show before the U.S. government could. Though it may be mocked by comedians and it can be excessive as its own military branch, Space Force does, even if it is accidental, is a rejuvenation of American space policy. While it may not have needed to be its own military branch, many of its goals are genuine and needed to been done at some point. As China and Russia, expand their capabilities regarding space and satellites, so must the United States. Military responsibility regarding space warfare is currently spread out amongst the Air Force, Navy, and Army. Space Force would allow for the consolidation of space personal and resources. Space Force has already started to absorb Air Force space personnel and would do the same to soldiers and sailors by 2022. This would allow for a consolidation of the military’s space resources that would prevent having space interests be at the mercy of other military projects. While Space Force being its own military branch may be unnecessary, the current situation is also problematic. A consolidated space command with the goal of managing and protecting American space interests is needed.
Though the Trump years may be remembered for its various political problems, it also may mark a possible renaissance of American space policy. Space has largely lagged since the end of the Space Race and the space shuttle program. Perhaps it is time for Americans and the world to once again shoot for the stars. As the country and the world look to a more bleak future that is racked by increased sectarianism, it may seek to look towards something that no nation can own by itself nor explore by itself.
