View Implications of Ultra-Low-Cost Access to Space By Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. RobertsPublishedMarch 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 LinckPublishedMarch 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 U.S. Air Force Bombers 101 Last UpdatedDecember 6, 2017 What bomber aircraft does the United States Air Force have in its arsenal and what are their capabilities?
View More than just fixing the rules: regulating for innovation By Kaitlyn JohnsonPublishedApril 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 LinckPublishedMarch 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 Around the World in 60 Minutes (Or Less!) By Kaitlyn JohnsonPublishedJanuary 17, 2018 Space travel could be the next revolution in human transportation. Are commercial companies, like SpaceX, developing viable options? Furthermore, what other applications may this technology have?
View What to look for in the Air Force’s FY 2019 Budget Request By Kaitlyn JohnsonPublishedFebruary 9, 2018 What are the U.S. Air Force’s true programmatic priorities in 2018 and 2019? The Aerospace Security Project took a look at the budget to find out what the Air Force is really investing in.
View Podcast: A Behind the Scenes Look at Space Threats By Todd Harrison, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. Roberts, Victoria Samson, Brian WeedenPublishedJune 1, 2018 Go behind the scenes with the authors of “Space Threat Assessment 2018.” They’re joined by the Secure World Foundation’s Victoria Samson and Brian Weeden to discuss what it’s like to study counterspace weapons—an inherently classified topic—in an unclassified environment.
View Space Threat Assessment 2018 By Todd Harrison, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. RobertsPublishedApril 11, 2018 Several countries and non-state actors are developing, or have already developed, counterspace weapons that could be used against vulnerable U.S. space assets. This report assesses open-source information and provides a succinct view into what space and counterspace assets China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other actors are developing.
View Escalation and Deterrence in the Second Space Age By Todd Harrison, Zack Cooper, Kaitlyn Johnson, Thomas G. RobertsPublishedOctober 3, 2017 The second space age is more diverse, disruptive, disordered, and dangerous than the first. This report discusses the threats to U.S. space systems, deterrence theory in the space domain, and findings from a space crisis exercise.