US Must Consider Operation of Space Assets Says Estes

General Howell M. Estes III was commander in chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command (CINCNORAD) and United States Space Command (USCINCSPACE), and commander, Air Force Space Command (COMAFSPC), headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He retired in October 1998

by Capt. Brad Swezey
Peterson AFB - Mar. 5, 2001
It's time for the United States to focus on how to operate its space assets in a world that also has its eyes on space. We're not the only players in the game anymore. And not all of them are friendly.

That's one of the messages a former commander of U.S. military space assets delivered Feb. 16 to members of Air Force and U.S. Space Commands.

Retired Gen. Howell Estes III, a member of the government's Space Commission and former commander in chief of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command; and commander of Air Force Space Command, came to Peterson AFB, Colo., to speak about the finds of that commission.

The Space Commission was created to find how U.S. space assets could be better organized for national defense.

Briefly, he said, the commission had five key findings:

The extent of U.S. dependence on space and the vulnerabilities it creates demand that space be recognized as a top national security priority.
The U.S. government is not yet arranged or focused to meet the national security space requirement of this century.
U.S. national security space programs are vital to peace and stability and the two officials primarily responsible and accountable for those programs are the secretary of defense and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. It is important that these two people work closely and effectively together to set and maintain the course.
Throughout history, there has been conflict in every medium (air, land and sea) and space will be no different. The United States must defend against hostile acts in and from space.
In addition to investing in facilities, systems and leading-edge technologies, the government needs to play an active role in expanding the pool of military and civilian talent in this arena.

Estes not only discussed the findings of the commission but how the they arrived at some of its recommendations.

"We wanted to make sure that all the key players were involved in this process," he said. "While the Air Force maintains most of the systems, the Army and Navy depend greatly on space systems."

To get a complete and balanced picture, the commission interviewed 80 of the top space experts, including Gen. Ed Eberhart, the current CINC of NORAD and USSPACECOM and commander of AFSPC. They also interviewed Lt. Gen. Roger DeKok, the vice commander of AFSPC.

The final report, he said, sought to bring space into the forefront of national strategy. Currently, he continued, responsibility for space does not get the attention it deserves.

"The way space functions are organized right now makes it difficult for anything to be done," Estes said. "By reorganizing our space functions, we will bring a center of gravity to space. This will get it more attention by decision makers and ultimately more resources."

SPACEWAR

NIMA: The Eyes of the Nation

Washington (AFPS) Feb. 19, 2001
Nothing and no one in the military moves without NIMA, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Sanctioned by Congress and created by the Department of Defense on Oct. 1, 1996, NIMA is a national resource that supports everyone from the White House down to the foxhole, said Robert Zitz, director of NIMA's Initiative Group.