New Space Age Needs New Tools

Today, we are at the beginning of a second Space Age. The first Space Age was born of the Cold War. America’s desire to beat the Soviet Union in the space race propelled the U.S. space program to incredible technological achievements. We put satellites and people into orbit. We sent probes throughout the solar system and humans to the moon in the span of a decade. But after this spurt of growth, a lack of vision and leadership kept the U.S. space program from achieving its exploration potential. For the next three decades human space flight remained in low earth orbit while we relied on robotic probes to explore our planetary neighbors. But at the same time, commercial launch technologies matured and the world gradually became dependent on space assets. Satellites are an integral part of the navigation, communication and entertainment infrastructures we use every day. But at the same time, commercial launch technologies matured and the world gradually became dependent on space assets. Satellites are an integral part of the navigation, communication and entertainment infrastructures we use every day.