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Military Space

Space Force Fans Want To Implement The "Green Agenda"

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
September 20, 2020
Filed under
Space Force Fans Want To Implement The "Green Agenda"

The Space Force’s relevance to the green agenda, The Hill
“But the service is also doing more in this domain. The USSF, for instance, is taking the lead on what will become the ultimate green energy technology: space-based solar power. Ignored for decades by both NASA and the Department of Energy, space-based solar power is unique as a renewable energy source because it is far more efficient than its terrestrial counterpart and requires much less land. Moreover, its vast availability would allow a mature system to meet current global demand many times over.”
Keith’s note: The Space Force fans are really grasping at straws to rationalize their new organization. The latest attempt involves this claim that it is the job of Space Force to take over space solar power work that NASA and the Department of Energy used to do or were supposed to do or that they once did (in someone’s imagination). But wait, there’s more:
“The USSF is also at the center of climate intelligence, helping us to know both about our weather patterns on Earth, and about the space weather — activity of the Sun — which impacts our biosphere. There would not even be a global green movement had it not been for early military space research to photograph our weather, which gave us our first view of our planet in the 1960s.”
Right – and NOAA and NASA had nothing to do with any of this weather stuff. NASA launched America’s first weather satellite but this isn’t about facts.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

13 responses to “Space Force Fans Want To Implement The "Green Agenda"”

  1. SouthwestExGOP says:
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    It’s by Peter Garretson, who sees Space Force as the answer to every question.

    One thing that he says in that piece is that SF is protecting the space environment by alerting organizations about potential collisions. This is a real stretch – many of those potential collisions are events where neither object can move. Many alerts have no value.

    He also does not say that the DoD or US Government could grab some US high threat objects and move them (potentially to where they would naturally decay much faster) but the US has not spent the money to do that.

    • Brian Weeden says:
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      This is not about the Space Force OR the “green agenda”. It’s about Garrretson using both as a vehicle to get to space-based solar power, which he’s been pushing for a long time.

  2. David Fowler says:
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    I don’t think they’re saying “it’s their job,” just that if interests intersect, then they’ll be onboard.

  3. Peter Morris says:
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    For goodness sake America, you DO NOT NEED a Space Farce – er, sorry – Force! You DO NOT NEED to head off, or create, a ‘Space Gap’ to show how super-dooper you are. You have been there before, and it nearly killed EVERYBODY.

    For your homework, watch Kubrick’s “Dr Strangelove” at least 100 times, then write and submit a 500 word report on it. Then get back to me.

    • Michael Spencer says:
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      I don’t know if a space force is needed, or not.

      As a statement of observation of fact, and not jingoism, I also know this: America is a stunningly affluent country in so many ways beyond money; and in the sweep of history this density is immeasurable.

      It’s important to realize this fundamental resource. There is true heartbreak watching stunning mismanagement, contemplating what we are capable of achieving.

  4. ThomasLMatula says:
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    Yes, nothing like a good old fashion Washington turf war. Just like with the Clementine Mission.?

  5. rb1957 says:
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    doesn’t everybody want to be “green” ?
    or seen to be green, or on the green bandwagon …

  6. Jeff2Space says:
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    Ugh, just no.

  7. Not Invented Here says:
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    It’s not grasping at straws, the author linked to an article from breakingdefense.com: X-37B’s Next Mission To Demo Space-Based Solar Power, which showed why the military is interested in space solar power, and there is a space solar power experiment being carried on X-37B right now.

    And the author is correct that some technology does migrate from military to civilian world, GPS being an obvious example. For space solar power, if military can pay for the initial R&D cost and small demonstrations, it would make it much easier to build civilian version in the future.

    • kcowing says:
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      What does space solar power for consumers on Earth have to do with the military protection of space-based assets?

      • ThomasLMatula says:
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        It’s about providing electricity to military outposts in combat zones. Instead of using truck conveys to transport oil for generators you beam the electricity in from space. If it works than troops won’t have to risk their lives protecting tanker truck conveys in combat zones. Since it requires assets in space it makes it the responsibility of the USSF.

        • kcowing says:
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          No one mentions this anywhere in the space force plans.

          • ThomasLMatula says:
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            Probably because most of the work has been done under the USAF over the last few years. But it is logical it will get transferred from the USAF to the USSF as it gets organized along with other USAF space research.

            https://www.popularmechanic

            The Air Force Wants To Beam Solar Power From Space Back to Earth

            The system would provide electricity to remote outposts, removing the need for dangerous convoys.

            By Kyle Mizokami
            Nov 4, 2019