Commentary by Mike Snead, President, Spacefaring Institute™
This article builds on my previous Space Review article, “Astroelectricity: America’s national energy security imperative”. In this article, I explain why the Trump administration—specifically, the National Space(faring) Council under the Continue Reading132 – America needs a National Astroelectricity Energy Security Transition Policy
Established as an inalienable human right by President Franklin Roosevelt, “freedom from want” requires abundant supplies of industrial energy. Through the development of space solar power-generated astroelectricity, America can fulfill its moral obligation to enable the global achievement of “freedom from want” with abundant green energy. Continue Reading124 – America’s moral obligation to develop astroelectricity
As part of its “great rejuvenation” to seek global hegemony, communist China has a “space dream” to dominate the coming spacefaring industrial revolution. U.S. Space Command will need an American “Star Fleet” with substantial manned space combat capabilities to respond to the growing communist Chinese space threat. Continue Reading118 – Communist China’s Space Threat
Three decades ago, eight members of Congress requested that the Congressional Research Service assess the potential for the expanded military use of space by both the United States and the Continue Reading117 – Col. John M. Collin’s classic 1989 report “Military Space Forces: The Next Fifty Years”
Watch the key parts of President Kennedy’s 1962 Rice University speech where he called for America to be the world’s leading spacefaring nation. Continue Reading111 – President Kennedy’s “We choose to go to the moon” speech
Post 108 – Exploiting the vast potential of the natural resources of outer space was first identified by Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky in his 1926 book Sixteen Stages of Space Exploration. Through his writings, he identified quite clearly our spacefaring future. Continue Reading108 – Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky: Humanity’s spacefaring future-teller
Post 106 – Recommended reading: Dr. Lamont Colucci argues that a full-fledged U.S. Space Force is needed to meet America’s needs this century in our now clearly apparent Great Power competition with China Continue Reading106 – Recommended reading: A Space Service in Support of American Grand Strategy
Post 103: 2019 (Part 4) focuses on why America’s need for sustainable energy security will be a key driver for America becoming a true human spacefaring nation. Continue Reading103 – 2019: Moving America towards becoming a true human spacefaring nation (Part 4)
This article shows how America’s aerospace industry now has the capability to build a substantial and robust American LEO astrologistics infrastructure and provide aircraft-like fully-reusable space access for passengers. Continue Reading102 – DSIAC Journal article: American “astrologistics”
America will begin a spacefaring industrial revolution transforming America into a true human spacefaring nation AND will use the new astroelectricity to rebuild America for the 22nd century. Continue ReadingAstroelectricity eBook published
As General Arnold first recognized 60 years ago, the United States must become a true human spacefaring nation, both militarily and commercially. Continue Reading99 – 2019: Moving America towards becoming a true human spacefaring nation (Part 2)
While Congress is exhausting itself in the political judo of rearranging the “deck chairs” of Congress, technologically and operationally the United States is making significant strides towards the long-held national Continue Reading98 – 2019: Moving America towards becoming a true human spacefaring nation (Part 1)
Anxious to achieve fame and glory, individuals and businesses are seeking to undertake commercial human spaceflight without due regard, in my view, for protecting the safety of the public wishing Continue Reading97 – Why airworthiness certification is necessary for commercial human spaceflight
Recently, the Honorable Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, published an op-ed “How to Seize Revolution in Hypersonics and Space.” (Aviation Week Network, June 22, 2018.). Long Continue Reading93 – The Space Review: An Alternative Proposal for a Revolution in Hypersonics and Space
President Trump’s reconstitution of the National Space Council, combined with his growing official interest in U.S. government and commercial space capabilities, has opened the door to a substantial advance of Continue Reading90 – National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group
President Trump signed Space Policy Directive 3 on June 18, 2018. This follows Space Policy Directive 1, signed on December 11, 2017, and Directive 2 signed on May 24, 2018. Continue Reading89 – Space Policy Directive 3 (June 18, 2018)
President Trump signed Space Policy Directive 2 on May 24, 2018. This follows Space Policy Directive 1 signed on December 11, 2017. This directive addresses: commercial spaceflight licensing, commercial remote Continue Reading87 – Space Policy Directive 2 (May 24, 2018)
President Trump has signed two additional policy directives addressing space. This and the next two Spacefaring America blog postings will share the first three Space Policy Directives of President Trump. Continue Reading86 – Space Policy Direct 1 (December 11, 2017)
I worked with Lt. Col. Cynthia McKinley (USAF, retired) to provide the Air Force with a new vision for their future space operational capabilities. Col. McKinley was brilliant in her Continue Reading81 – Cynthia McKinley’s U.S. Space Guard article (2000)
I am reposting this blog entry along with an update. The original posting disappeared while migrating the website to a new server. If you recently signed up to receive email Continue Reading79 – Excellent historical technical description of NASA’s Space Shuttle System (Repost with update)