KEEPING SPACE OPEN AND FREE - IMPORTANT DATES TO KNOW

Trying to stay current with the efforts of the Bush Administration to build weapons in space, is fast paced work. Here are some ofthe key dates in the history of what many view as folly.

Most of this information is taken the New York Times, the St.Louis Post Dispatch and from books like Weapons in Space by KarlGrossman, Seven Stories Press in association with Open Media, New York,New York, 2001.

• 2002 - The House of Representatives (409 - 14) and the US Senate(93 - 1) approved a $355 billion defense spending bill for FY 2003 in Octoberof 2002. The bill increases defense spending by $34.4 billion over theprevious year. It contains most of the $7.4 billion for missile defense systems,as requested by President Bush.
• 2002 - The Congressional Budget Office released a study in February projecting the costs of a layered defense through 2025. As reportedin the New York Times, a system of ground based missile interceptorswould cost $26 to $74 billion (through 2015); a system of missileinterceptors launched from ships would cost between $50 and $64billion (through 2015); and a space based laser system would costbetween $82 and 100 billion (through 2025).
• 2002 - A space policy review is initiated by National SecurityAdvisor Condoleezza Rice.
• 2002 - Undersecretary of the Air Force and Director of the NationalReconnaissance Office is quoted (March 6, 2002) as saying "I believe that weapons will go into space. It is a question oftime. And we need to be at the forefront of that."
• 2001 - Release of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) (October1, 2001) identifies "exploiting space for military purposes" to be one of the Administrations key objectives.
• 2001 - Release of a Transformational Study Report (April 27, 2001)to the Secretary of Defense from an independent panel. Recommendationis made for things like offensive and defensive micro-satellitesto insure "space dominance."
• 2000 - Resolution entitled Prevention of An Arms Race into OuterSpace was approved in the UN General Assembly on November 20th. The votewas 163 nations in favor, with the U.S., Israel, and Micronesia abstaining.
• 2000 - Alpha high energy laser tested for 22nd time (April) bybuilder TRW. In December, a space based laser project is authorized at theNASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
• 2000 - Way Out There in the Blue: Reagan, Star Wars and the Endof the Cold War published by Frances FitzGerald.
• 1999 - UN Conference on Disarmament held in Geneva in January;a seminar on The Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space was organized by the Women's International League for Peaceand Freedom in March; in November, a resolution entitled Preventionof An Arms Race in Outer Space was approved by 160 nations inthe UN General Assembly. The United States and Israel abstained.
• 1998 - The Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat tothe United States, also known as the Rumsfeld Commission, reversesprevious intelligence findings that the United States is not inimminent danger of ballistic missiles. The Commission worriesabout the capability and intent of rogue states. The report arguesthat there is no "blanket prohibition" ininternational law on "placing or using weapons in space."
• 1998 - A Long Range Plan is published by the U.S. Space Command.Developed with help from about 75 corporations, this report outlinesplans for "control of space" and "full spectrum dominance."
• 1997 - Guardians of the High Frontier. Document issued by theU.S. Space Command that explains that they are committed to "thecontrol and exploitation of space."
• 1996 - Vision for 2020. Document published by the U.S. Space Commandthat envisions "dominating the space dimension of militaryoperations to protect US interests and investments."
• 1996 - General Joseph Ashby is quoted in Aviation Week and SpaceTechnology that "we're going to fight in space,fight from space and fight into space."
• 1967 - Outer Space Treaty is adopted. The United State plays aleadership role in its development