We have to keep the US in the forefront on Leadership in space due to our nations security. We have to be the leader just as we are leading the GWOT. Some might disagree, but I believe China will overcome the US and dominate our economy (everything is made in "China") our military (they have stolen some of our military secrets) and our freedom to explore space. China's CNOOC wants to buy UNOCAL and another Chinese company wants to buy MAYTAG. In China both commercial and military products are built at their manufacturing plants.
From the AstroExpress.com article
The U.S. must bolster the competitiveness: Report Warns of Challenges to U.S. Leadership in Spaces of its commercial space industry, expand international cooperation, and refocus on basic science in order to hold on to its traditional leadership position in space, according to the authors of a new paper from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
United States Space Policy: Challenges and Opportunities identifies three important shifts in U.S. plans for space—proposals by the military to place weapons in space, decreased funding for civilian space science, and an unwillingness to collaborate with international partners on space initiatives—as threats to the nation’s long-term scientific interests in space. The study also finds that changes in export control policies, which now require that all satellites be regulated as munitions, have led to significant market share losses for U.S. suppliers in recent years, threatening the long-term viability of the U.S. commercial satellite industry. The paper is available online at: http://www.amacad.org/publications/spacePolicy.aspx.
“America has long been considered by nations around the world to be the unchallenged leader in all aspects of its space program,” according to authors George Abbey, former head of the Johnson Space Center, and Neal Lane, former Assistant to the President on Science and Technology Policy. But, they warn, “The future vitality of America’s space program is in question.”
“Government leaders are making decisions about U.S. space policy that will affect not only national security, but also the ability of the United States to successfully compete with other countries in the commercial use of space and to maintain a leadership role in space exploration, science and engineering, and technology.” Though their assessment reveals significant obstacles to the continued success of the U.S. space industry and space science, Abbey and Lane believe these obstacles are surmountable, and offer recommendations for realigning U.S. space policy to advance U.S. interests.
Our schools and Universities must stress the importance of science, engineering, and physics degrees. We must keep the knowledge base in America. Space will empower Americans in the workforce as some of our technologies are transferred to other nations, space will keep us in the forefront and leader in the world.
Ed. note: The full report is at Space Policy.
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