Monday, July 23, 2018

A Space Navy is Premature

I'm on record as opposing a separate Space Force because I think an Aerospace Force is the way to go. And talk of a Space Navy model is wrong because it is premature.

If this is meant to mean the Navy should be the template for a space force, it is not even close to being right:

"If you look at what space is, it's not that much different than the ocean," added Bridenstine, who made 333 aircraft-carrier landings as a Navy pilot. "It's an international domain that has commerce that needs to be protected."

There is no bulk commerce to make space like the seas. In space there is high value commerce more in line with air space use.

I don't see a persistent human presence in Earth orbit reflecting how a "navy" could provide defense of that domain; as opposed to the sorties into the space domain that an "air force" approach makes possible.

Really, talk of a space navy should wait until we leave the Earth-Moon system.