December 04, 2021

The DownLink: The U.S. National Space Council is Back in Business

This week U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris convened the Biden Administration’s inaugural National Space Council meeting. It had three agenda items: STEM education, to create the future space-based workforce; using space-based assets and the data they produce to combat climate change; and space-based security, which at present has precious few rules or norms governing behavior. Also, this week, the U.S. Department of Defense shared that it had completed its Global Posture Review, but didn’t include space in its report, which has raised more than a few eyebrows. To unpack the week’s events, Laura Winter speaks with Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation, Daniel Dumbacher, the executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Sarah Mineiro, a true space and defense policy nerd, who is an adjunct fellow with the Center for a New American Security.

Listen to the podcast from Defense & Aerospace Report here.

  • Commentary
    • May 22, 2025
    Sharper: America’s Edge

    A volatile global security environment requires the United States and its allies to develop new tactics and capabilities to deal with novel global threats. On June 3, policyma...

    By Charles Horn

  • Video
    • May 14, 2025
    Why China’s Amphibious ‘Invasion Platforms’ Are Troubling Sign for Taiwan

    Beijing’s new ships can land on beaches and link to form massive mobile piers. Analysts, including Tom Shugart from Center for a New American Security, say they’re intended to...

    By Tom Shugart

  • Podcast
    • May 13, 2025
    "From Production Lines to Front Lines," with Becca Wasser and Philip Sheers of CNAS

    In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula are joined by Becca Wasser and Philip Sheers from the Center for New American Security (CNAS) to discuss t...

    By Becca Wasser & Philip Sheers

  • Reports
    • May 8, 2025
    Lessons in Learning

    Executive Summary Although claims of a revolution in military affairs may be overhyped, the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy to change warfare is growin...

    By Josh Wallin

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia