Congressman Dave Weldon speaks with the media earlier this year. (credit: Office of Congressman Weldon)

Dave Weldon speaks about space policy

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American Space Power & Control

Space is a strategic venue. In fact, the greatest strategic venue of all. Russia knows it. Europe knows it. China knows it. Japan knows it. India knows it. Each of these powers is setting out in an attempt to gain some measure of space control and space power. As recently as April 15th, Jacques Chirac stated for Europe, “the domination of space was a strategic challenge.”

As of now, none of these nations come close to the level of space operations as the United States or the amount of funds spent on space. Those of us who care about space, support space, promote space, work in the space business, those of us who have a shared vision of America in space, it is our job to preach the gospel, if you will, of American Space Power & Control.

The easiest thing to do is to communicate an analogy.

The analogy that everyone recognizes is the need for air supremacy and having the best navy in the world in order to protect our people, our allies, and as well to protect free trade. No one questions that premise, nor does anyone question that the United States basically controls the airways and seaways.

As said earlier we spend the most on space and do the most in space, but it is no guarantee that we have the same degree of control in space as we do in the air and on the oceans. Implementing a new doctrine of American Space Power & Control would be the best for obviously our interests and the interests of the world, for freedom and commerce.

I ask you, would the world be a better and safer place with a European, Chinese, or Russian space power and control regime? I do not think so. The doctrine of American Space Power & Control needs to start being articulated and articulated often.

There are some people who would like to see us never fully develop our capabilities to utilize space in the defense of freedom. Many of these folks are obviously driven by a desire to see our nation weakened. But some claim to be patriotic Americans who nonetheless hold to a foolish notion that space is somehow some type of sacred environment that must never be exploited strategically.

We must adopt a doctrine that states that, we as a nation will vigorously pursue the ability to project power to, through and from space against any aggressor. We need to start making the doctrine of American Space Power & Control rank right alongside the universally accepted concepts of air dominance, and naval superiority.

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