View Options for the Ground-Based Leg of the Nuclear Triad By Todd Harrison, Evan Linck PublishedSeptember 21, 2017 The purpose of this report is to provide an independent assessment of the options available; including the impetus for the program, a review of the Air Force’s analysis of alternatives for the GBSD, alternatives to modernization, and key questions for policymakers to consider as the MDAP moves forward.
View How It Works: Detecting a North Korean Missile Strike on Guam By Todd Harrison, Tom Karako, Thomas G. Roberts PublishedAugust 28, 2017 In August 2017, North Korea threatened to launch four ballistic missiles towards Guam, targeting waters less than 30 kilometers off the island’s coast. How and when would U.S. missile defense forces respond if an attack like this were to take place?
View More than just fixing the rules: regulating for innovation By Kaitlyn Johnson PublishedApril 27, 2017 A variety of new space technologies are emerging in the U.S. space industry, and policymakers should look for ways to facilitate this innovation and make these technologies more accessible to civil, commercial, and military space customers.
View Space Is Booming, America’s Next Heavy-Lift Rocket Should Reflect That By Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. Roberts, Evan Linck PublishedMarch 22, 2017 As the U.S. government leaves the RD-180 rocket engine behind, it should position itself to support and reap the benefits of the growth in orbital markets.
View Ultra-Low-Cost Access to Space: What it Means and When it’s Coming By Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter PublishedMarch 22, 2017 In this video, CSIS experts Todd Harrison and Andrew Hunter explore the unique trends in low-cost access to space, identify key opportunities for further cost reductions and policies needed to spur innovation, and explore new military missions that would be enabled if these trends lead to significant reductions in the cost of access to space.
View Implications of Ultra-Low-Cost Access to Space By Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. Roberts PublishedMarch 21, 2017 To understand a future where the cost of access to space is only a fraction of what it is today, CSIS turned to a curated group of space experts, including launch providers, satellite manufacturers, government analysts, space law practitioners, and military strategists. This report details trends in low-cost access to space, identifies key opportunities for further cost reductions and policies needed to spur innovation, and explores new military missions that would be enabled if these trends lead to significant reductions in the cost of access to space.
View Beyond the RD-180 By Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. Roberts, Evan Linck PublishedMarch 21, 2017 This report explores how the United States came to depend on the Russian RD-180 rocket engine as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, realistic options for the engine’s replacement in the coming decade, and potential space launch acquisition strategies for the future.
View NASA in the Second Space Age: Exploration, Partnering, and Security By Todd Harrison, Nahmyo Thomas PublishedNovember 30, 2016 How does the world’s leading federal space agency adapt to changes in the space domain? If NASA is no longer operating in a peaceful sanctuary, how should its goals in exploration and global partnerships change?
View MUOS-5 highlights a critical U.S. vulnerability in space By Todd Harrison PublishedNovember 7, 2016 A strange thing happened in July when the U.S. Navy’s MUOS-5 satellite was on its way to geosynchronous orbit. The thruster it was using to raise its orbit stopped working unexpectedly.
View Next Steps for Japan-U.S. Cooperation in Space By Todd Harrison, Zack Cooper PublishedOctober 28, 2016 The space domain is increasingly important to Japan and the United States for both military security and economic prosperity. Space has also become a key enabler for the projection of military power, allowing mobile forces to be networked over greater distances and across all regions of the globe. What are the next steps for Japan – U.S. cooperation in the space domain?