The Story:
U.S. Air Force lieutenant general Steve Kwast told CNBC that in his “best military judgement China is on a 10-year journey to operationalize space. We’re on a 50-year journey.” Kwast expects a new era in space to dawn with a “Kitty Hawk”-like moment, and warns that America’s edge in space operations is gradually fading.
Why It Matters:
Kwast believes that the next frontier for military operations is near-space, specifically between the earth and the moon.
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His view is that the U.S. should make efforts towards a bringing brilliant minds together to address the issue, similar to the Manhattan Project.
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That project culminated in the creation of the world’s first nuclear weapons capable of theretofore unthinkable scales of destruction.
The Nuts and Bolts:
The regulatory environment for entrepreneurs looking at the next frontier has become unwieldy. Kwast gives an analogy of requiring to report carry-on items a year in advance on a flight from D.C. to LA.
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Kwast’s comments hint at a space race by the world’s military forces.
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His reference to the Manhattan Project implies military dominance by the country that wins that space race.
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That country could well be China.
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