Dear All, Like Jeffrey Lewis, I am a member of the policy community and not a tracker -- but I am deeply interested in this subject, which I believe is a critical one for the future security of global space assets. So, I would like to make a couple of points on the issue of access to tracking data, and then ask for some possible assistance from the SeeSat community. It remains unclear how the U.S. Air Force will conduct its pilot program. There is internal squabbling about continuing to make public the TLEs long provided by NASA, with the intelligence community putting pressure towards discontinuing the public service -- even though many NASA and even Air Force officials do not believe the data that has long been released creates serious problems for intel gathering or for future safety of satellites. Nonetheless, it remains a possibility that access to TLEs will be more restricted in future. Ted is right that, up to now, however, DoD doesn't seem to have its act together on the pilot project; there has been little information about how its going to work yet to come out in the public domain. Meanwhile, there is new concern in Europe in particular that -- with the U.S. taking a more militarized posture toward space -- that Europe needs to find ways to become less dependent on the U.S. military for space-related capabilities across the board, including space surveillance. There is growing interest in Europe in developing a European alternative to the USAF Space Surveillance Network, even if such a European network in the beginning would not be as capable. There is also an argument beginning to be made in policy circles that, if there is ever to be space arms control or a serious effort at rules of the road for space operators, that an independent system of tracking debris and satellites will be required. Not all countries are going to be willing to take the word of the U.S. military to, for example, verify space treaties/agreements in future, especially in light of recent events at the United Nations. I have even had some Air Force officials say that an alternative network would be GOOD for U.S. security, in that it could provide verification of U.S. data without the U.S. having to give away sensitive data. Some in the U.S. military policy community have raised the concept of an international microsat network that could provide space tracking data (Dr. Randall Correll of SAIC just a week ago gave a speech on this as part of thinking here on the concept of so-called Operationally Responsive Space.") It is my strong belief that as more countries and actors have access to space, transparency is critical for safe operations, for example to avoid accidents that might provoke conflict. I also believe that it would not be ethical for the U.S. military to seek a monopoly on, or to control of, this data, which will be more necessary for peaceful operations in space in future not less. And, to be honest, as a former journalist, I think groups like yours provide vital services to civil society and freedom of information. In light of that, I have proposed to a funder -- and am hopeful of receiving the grant -- a project to try to bring together a conference in 2005 to look at the possibility, practicality and advisability of an effort to create an international Space Surveillance Network that would provide basic data to all users and countries. I would like to invite European officials working on this (France has become particularly interested, seeing the GRAVES system as a possibly integral part), U.N. representatives, scientists, astronomers and members of the SeeSat and other satellite tracking community to explore the issue. I am considering Brussels, Belgium, as a venue to encourage international participation, but have also thought about starting with a smaller group at a conference in Washington or Cambridge. It seems to me with all the assets out there, from actual telescopes etc. to models developed by your community, the question would be finding a way (and perhaps funding to support) networking these assets. Since I know this is a bit off topic for you all, I'd like to encourage those of you who might be interested in such an exercise -- or who might have comments about how to and not to go about facilitating this discussion -- to contact me directly at thitchens@cdi.org. I am the director of CDI's Space Security Project, and we have some information on this issue posted on our website, www.cdi.org. Thanks, and I wish you all luck, and clear skies! Theresa Hitchens Vice President Center for Defense Information 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 202-797-5269; Fax: 202-462-4559 thitchens@cdi.org -----Original Message----- From: SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org [mailto:SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org] On Behalf Of Allen Thomson Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 8:47 AM To: seesat-l@satobs.org Subject: Re: reasons for tracking Graham wrote, > Ted wrote: > > "Who are the others, and how might they act?" > The goverment. That would be the US government, and most of the satellite trackers are beyond the reach of the USG. Even for the few who are Americans, the US government has shown an extreme and well-founded fear of taking such matters to court. The satellite tracking case would never get close, because it involves information available to anyone who cares to watch the sky -- what would the charges be, and how would they be presented to a jury? IMO, the only practical danger would be if such a US person worked for a company that did business with the offended parts of the defense and/or intelligence communities, in which case he/she might come under job pressure. Note, by the way, that the present question of TLE availability *doesn't* affect the satellites the government is annoyed about. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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