ASA Space Intelligence Notes

2010-05-12 .. US SPACE POLICY REVISION - THE END OF AN ERA

The dramatic shift in US space policy that has been announced by the current US President does not bode well for the US manned space flight program in the next few years. The US is likely to be without domestic manned space capability for at least five years and probably longer. The goals for manned exploration beyond Earth orbit have been pushed back many years (and the goal of a lunar return eliminated with the oft repeated ludicrous argument about having done it before) to dates that will make them unreal to most of the (older) populations that support space exporation.
All of this is however is likely to be irrelevant when the next financial crisis collapses support for any US space program, and we sadly watch the demise of an empire, for we can be sure that no-one else will be as forthcoming and as generous about their space program as the US has been since 1957.

2009-03-05 .. RUSSIA NEXT TO CONDUCT ASAT TEST?

Associated Press has reported that General Valentin Popovkin stated that Russia is working to develop anti-satellite weapons to match efforts by other nations. General Popovkin was previously chief of the Russian Space Forces and is currently a Deputy Defence Minister.
The former Soviet Union has in fact conducted around 20 ASAT tests in the past using co-orbital satellites, but these comments may indicate the development of a new, possibly ground launched missile along the lines of those employed in Chinese and US ASAT tests in the last 2+ years.

2008-09-11 .. FINANCIAL CRISIS TO AFFECT SPACE PROGRAMS

The current global financial shock is bound to affect future space programs in the USA and Europe, particularly those in the civilian sector. Military and national security space programs may be expected to be affected less.