March 10, 1987
Secretary of Defense Casper W. Weinberger announced today that he has signed a new Department of Defense Space Policy. The document, which is classified, was signed on February 4, 1987. It reflects DoD policy in light of developments in the U.S. space programs since the last space policy was signed in 1982, and it provides current guidance to all DoD organizations with respect to space activities.
Prominent aspects of the new policy include:
In general, the policy represents a coherent repsonse to the major events and developments in the U.S. space program over the past several years. It augments and suppors national space policy. In particular, it reflects the President's December 1986 policy statement which reconstitutes U.S. space launch assets to provide a balanced, robust, flexible capability that will enable the U.S. to return to regularly scheduled launch and space operations. Finally, the DoD policy has been reorganized in accordance with accepted concepts and terminology of military space functions.
Attached is the unclassified version of the policy.
March 10, 1987
This DoD space policy applies to all space-related activities of the Department. The purposes of this policy are to guide all space-related activities within the Department, and to serve as an input to the formulation of national space policy.
Major changes have occurred which warrant a revision of the 1982 DoD space policy. These changes include the Strategic Defense Initiative, ther revision of the nation's launch philosophy, the successful testing of the anti-satellite system against an object in space, the formation of unified and service commands for space, the emergence of commercial space enterprises and the hesitancy of the private sector to invest in large space ventures, the initiation of a manned space station program with international involvement, the increasing commitment on the part of other natinos towards space exploitation, and the stringent funding constraints imposed by budget limitation legislation.
The Soviet Union continues its major national commitment to the military exploitation of space. This commitment will result in major new space systems in the future which will enhance all aspects of their space program and the support provided Soviet terrestrial forces. The Soviet space effortss aim at Soviet dominance.
The primary DoD goal in space is to provide operational capabilities to ensure the U.S. can meet national security objectives. Contributory goals include a strong and forward-looking national space technology base, a healty space industrry to support national security and support to our Allies.
DoD space efforts will contribute to the natinoal security objectives by: 1) deterrence, or if necessary, defense against enemy attack; 2) assuring that forces of hostile nations cannot prevent our own use of space; and 3) enhancing operations of U.S. and Allied forces by space systems. These efforts include protecting the peace and decreasing the incentives for attack and enemy escalation by prociding secure, survivable means for collecting and transmitting information, and by providing the means to counter enemy advantages through U.S. space-related and strategic defense operational capabilities.
DoD space policy supports and amplifies U.S. national space policy. Space is recognized as being a medium within which the conduct of military operations in support of our national security can take place, just as on land, at sea, and in the atmosphere, and similarly from which military space functions of space support, force enhancement, space control and force application can be performed.
RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTINGENCY RESPONSE
MILITARY MAN-IN-SPACE
ARMS CONTROL
ACQUISITION AND OPERATIONS
SPACE DEBRIS
SECURITY
COOPERATION WITH OTHER SECTORS
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Space support functions are those required to deploy and maintain military equipment and personnel in space. They include activities such as launching and deploying vehicles, maintaining and sustaining space vehicles while in orbit, and recovering vehicles if required.
ASSURED MISSION CAPABILITY
Robust Satellite Control
Assured Access to Space
Distributed Access When critical DoD payloads uniquely perform a mission, and when possible, they will be capable of launch by more than one launch system and one launch site to ensure payloads can be placed in orbit regardless of specific launch capability available. When two critical DoD systems have similar or overlapping primary mission capabilities, they should be launched on different launch systems when possible.
Commercial Space Launch DoD will facilitate commercial launches on a non-interference basis. DoD space payloads may be launched by commercial launch vehicles provided that DoD and national security requirements are met. DoD will develop and implement the necessary plans and agreements to allow the contingency commercial launch of compatible payloads.
New Space Support Concepts
Force enhancement functions are those space-related support operations conducted to improve the effectiveness of both terrestrial- and space-based forces. Force enhancement includes such capabilities as communications, navigation, and surveillance.
These force enhancement capabilities will be structured to provide effective operational support to military forces in peace, crisis and conflict. System developments will emphasize increased responsiveness to the requirements of operational military forces.
Civil/commercial/allied capabilities may augment DoD systems to support military space force enhancement requirements, particularly if primary DoD capabilities were to be lost. DoD will determine the military requirements for and the nature and extent of such augmentation to DoD space assets. DoD, with non-DoD space system owners/operators, will plan for and implement arrangements and procedures, including cost-sharing and reciprocity arrangements, as appropriate, to enhance the utility of these systems to complement national security systems and deny their use and control to adversaries as appropriate to national security interests.
Space control functions consist of operations that ensure freedom of action in space for friendly forces while limiting or denying enemy freedom of action when so directed by the National Command Authority. They include satellite negation and satellite protection.
It is important for DoD to ensure continuing capability for the control of space by preserving or acquiring those capabilities to surveil and monitor continuously all militarily significant activities in space. This requires complementary terrestrial- and space-based systems.
DoD will develop and acquire operational space control capabilities to deter, or, during conflict, protect against hostile space-based threats to the U.S. and its Allies.
Anti-satellite DoD will develop and deploy a robust and comprehensive anti-satellite capability with programs as required and with initial operational capability at the earliest possible date.
Space System Protection DoD space systemss will be designed, developed and operated to ensure the survivability and endurability of their critical functions at designated levels of conflict. DoD will develop and operate space systems which balance capability and survivability to deter attacks by creating a dilemma for adversary attack planners by responding to these attacks with both space and terrestrial force responses.
Force application functions consist of combat operations conducted from space.
Consistent with treaty agreements and national policy, DoD will conduct research on, plan for, and develop, to the point of readiness for use, the space technologies which may permit a defense against ballistic missiles.