U.S. Space Security and Allied Outreach

Abstract

As one of the two early space pioneers, the United States is acutely aware of the evolving nature of the space environment and the need to pursue space security policies that correspond to these new realities. This chapter reviews the main space security elements of the U.S. space policy, including international collaboration in this area. Special attention will be given to the U.S. outreach to Europe and Japan as case studies of American efforts to advance the international dimension of its space security objectives. The underlying rationale is that space security is directly relevant to the broader U.S. defense and strategic dialogue with these key allies. This comparative analysis hopes to illuminate U.S. priorities in its bilateral dialogues with Europe and Japan. In so doing, this chapter seeks to establish the importance of these allies to the U.S. ability to assess, prevent, and preempt various space security threat scenarios.