The Space Program and Homeland Security

In March of 2011 the United States space shuttle program ended with the final landing of Discovery. The ending of the space shuttle program left many wondering what would happen to the future of the space program. That question is still unanswered for the most part with dwindling budgets and the U.S. reliance on other countries or private organizations to get our astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

Since the end of the shuttle program the United States has relied on Russia to send our astronauts to the ISS. Reliance on other countries for something so important, especially those countries that are negatively affected by U.S. policies, is not a good thing. An example of this problem was seen when Russia denied the U.S. access to the ISS after the year 2020 in retaliation to sanctions placed on them after their annexation of Crimea. At this time, the only way to reach the ISS is through the use of the Russian spacecraft Soyuz. Russia will also bar the U.S. from using its rocket engines to launch military satellites.

Space should be considered an important part of the United States’ critical infrastructure. Many important technologies critical to homeland security are made possible due to satellites being placed in outer space. Two that should immediately come to mind is the global positioning system (GPS) technology and communications. During a major terrorist attack or large scale disaster, terrestrial communications often are unavailable. This problem can be remedied by the use of satellite phones, which was shown during Hurricane Katrina. Satellites are also used to track terrorist movements and enhance border security. A use of satellites that many may not think of is weather monitoring. Some satellites used for this purpose have the ability to report solar flares, which can predict weather patterns as well as the solar flares’ effect on communications. Without the use of these satellites or the ability to repair or replace them, America could become extremely vulnerable.

Another residual negative aspect of losing the space program is young Americans losing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The opportunity to participate in an exciting and challenging career such as the space program could motivate students to excel in these areas. A 2013 study from the National Math and Science Initiative showed that only 44% of high school graduates were ready for college level math and only 36% were ready for college level science.

NASA administrator Charles Bolden said in July of 2011, “As a former astronaut and the current NASA Administrator, I’m here to tell you that American leadership in space will continue for at least the next half-century because we have laid the foundation for success — and failure is not an option.” Due to the importance of space exploration to U.S. homeland security, Administrator Bolden is correct in saying “failure is not an option”.