February 12, 2018
With China, Russia looming, SpaceX launch is about more than Mars
SpaceX has reached another milestone with the successful launch of Falcon Heavy. The launch is another example of the organization’s persistent ability to innovate and push market expansion.
In the short term, the launch probably won’t add to SpaceX’s bottom lineall that much, there just isn’t enough heavy lift demand. So why is the launch such a big deal? The importance of Tuesday’s maiden Falcon Heavy flight is less about the immediate financial return for SpaceX and more about what it signifies vis-à-vis America’s interest in space and the country’s ability to leverage the free market system to develop the burgeoning space domain ahead of our peers.
Maintaining America’s advantage in space has both economic and national security implications.
Read the full article in The Hill.
More from CNAS
-
Former top defense official Robert Work on "Intelligence Matters"
Podcast
In this episode of Intelligence Matters, guest host Admiral James "Sandy" Winnefeld (ret.) speaks with Robert Work, the 32nd United States Deputy Secretary of Defense for both...
By Robert O. Work
-
The Case for a Pacific Deterrence Initiative
Commentary
When war broke out in Ukraine in 2014 the Department of Defense moved swiftly to invest billions in near-term enhancements in Europe to address growing military-operational sh...
By Randy Schriver & Eric Sayers
-
Army trade-offs within FY21 budget
Video
Susanna Blume, senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at CNAS, discusses the Army leadership’s approach to the FY21 budget. Watch the full conversation in Governme...
By Susanna V. Blume
-
The Overseas Basing Debate, Part 2
Podcast
Host Kathleen Hicks continues a discussion with Susanna Blume, Zack Cooper, and Dave Ochmanek on the major debates surrounding U.S. overseas military forces. Listen to the fu...
By Susanna V. Blume
