Spacepower Ascendant: Space Development Theory and a New Space Strategy

"Spacepower Ascendant is essential to the intellectual development of every space professional, because it introduces a new paradigm of spacepower that transitions from a focus on providing support to terrestrial warfighters, to the eventual expanding of roles and missions of the Space Force to secure broader national interests in space. It lays out a compelling case that some roles and missions need to be added sooner rather than later, so our space forces will be ready when needed, instead of scrambling to play catch-up when disaster occurs. The book considers all facets of spacepower; commercial, civil, intelligence, and military and describes how spacepower supports all instruments of national power around the globe, and eventually into space. Of even greater interest to the space professional will be the analysis of American and Chinese spacepower strategies as they will compete with each other over the next several decades. The author identifies several shortfalls in American strategy, and makes solid recommendations for improving our competitive advantage. This book found its way immediately into the spacepower curriculum at Air University, but it deserves the widest possible readership among the space community."
- National Security Space Institute, 2021 Reading List

Whether it is recognized or not, America is engaged in a space race with China. Unlike the previous between the USA and the USSR that resulted in multiple Moon landings, this is a new space race to expand and exploit the resources of the solar system. America initially embarked on this race in a similar fashion to the previous one, focusing on scientific exploration of deep space and satellite support to terrestrial military forces. The new space race demands a new mindset that integrates maritime commerce and naval warfare principles into space missions using a whole of government approach. The goal is national power projection into the space domain, both deep space itself and the planets and moons in it. The purpose of this book is to examine China's theory and strategy in the current space race, extrapolate the current strategic trajectories, and then propose a new theory and strategy for space that will result in a continuous advantage for America, its allies, and all lawful and non-hostile users of space. Space Development Theory posits that new areas and domains go through a progression of exploration, expansion, exploitation, and exclusion. America's space experience is almost exclusively in exploration with some expansion into Earth's orbits while China is moving quickly to both expand and exploit resources on the Moon and beyond. America must embrace a new paradigm for space or live in a world dominated by China's policies and global organization.