München 2006 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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AKA: Physik und Abrüstung

AKA 4: Raketenabwehr und Weltraum

AKA 4.1: Hauptvortrag

Donnerstag, 23. März 2006, 10:30–11:30, L

What Should Space Be Used For? Space Weapons and the Threat to Space Security — •Laura Grego — Union of Concerned Scientists, Two Brattle Square, Cambridge/MA

Space has long been important to the commercial, civil and military sectors, serving essential missions like communications, environmental and physical science research, early warning of missile attack, and precision navigation. However, rhetoric, official planning documents, and funded military research programs show that the current United States administration has a vision for space that significantly departs from long-held norms. This new vision includes four additional missions for satellites: ballistic missile defense, attacking targets on the ground, protecting friendly satellites, and denying adversaries the use of space. Such a dramatic change deserves a thorough vetting. Additionally, as even the traditional military space missions grow increasingly important, space will inevitably be drawn into earthly conflicts even if no weapons are placed into orbit, as satellites can be attacked from the ground.

The discussion can be organized into three types of issues: The first are international and strategic issues, such as how space weaponization may affect national and international security and stability, and what conflicts can be solved with treaties and cooperation? Second: how useful would space actually be for these new military missions? The laws of physics and the current state of technology will strongly limit what orbiting craft can do. Third: how may space weaponization affect other space users, and what are the proper guidelines for the equitable use and longterm stewardship of space security? The talk will give an overview of the current state of affairs, and an analysis of these issues.