Helios Ruehls. Inc presents:
Last Edit 3/30/2020
"SPACE FORCE" A PLAN FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION IN A HOSTILE FUNDING ENVIRONMENT
EDITOR'S NOTE: We have extensively edited from earlier versions of this essay due to two major events in the evolving history of the Space Force. First the Space Force has made its first satellite launch and has put out a solicitation for a contractor to run a research center. These are note worthy events that no doubt will be commemorated in future historical accounts of the evolution of the Space Force. Our observations and opinions about that evolution have not changed but we found some of our suggestions to be over detailed and we wanted to make room to acknowledge the satellite launch and bid solicitation. Both however were Air Force legacy systems we still maintain that the Space Force is under funded and will likely face funding difficulties for some time into the future. More details on on these tow historical events are the body of the text.
China (The"Dragon") is in engaged to over take us in space. The Dragon doesn't subscribe to the "we come for all mankind","no territorial claims in space, mentality that the United States (The Eagle) does. We know this because China openly says so and their present behavior in the great commons of the sea predicts it. (See: THE DRAGON IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND OUTER SPACE). The Dragon is running a full blown Manhattan Project tempo of effort to dominate in space and in the space industry on earth. China appears to have no intention of honoring the present treaties against weapons in space. The Dragon also refuses to adhere to the growing international law that makes space part of the commons . In short the Imperial Dragon has territorial ambitions in Space. If the Dragon gains this high ground ; then the Dragon will dictate to the planet using hard military ordinance on target from an unassailable position, or softer economic power. If the Dragon ascends faster than the Eagle in space every nation on earth will be simply a vassal state to China.
Yes, we went to the moon over 50 years ago, but since then we have concentrated on manned space flight to and from an orbiting space station unmanned science missions . and the privatization of the space industries. We don't have a 50 year lead on China any more , we have about a three to 5 year lead if the Chinese continue at their present pace and we continue to lag along.
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This happened over 50 years ago. We never claimed any territory but our claim that the moon and space generally are a "Commons" will fall if China beats us at building a permanent moon base. The Dragon will arrive possibly in as little as 3 years,The Eagle may be a year or more behind the Dragon's landing (Image courtesy of NASA)
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China is leapfrogging over certain steps to a moon landing thanks to the knowledge we left in our wake on our voyage to the moon. They have certainly mastered all of the orbital capsule skills of our Gemini program and more. .
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This is where most of our space money and effort on manned space flight went since the moon landing. If we had established a manned moon base in the years following our landing we would be in a better position to get our "Space is a commons of all mankind" policy turned into codified international law. It's not too late but we have to hurry. The Dragon wants to homestead space.Any planet they get to before us they will lay claim to and attempt to exclude us.
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| Image NASA. unmanned science projects returned information freely exchanged |
Most recently the Eagle (USA) and the West generally have been focused on unmanned space probes, space based telescopes, and radio telescopes seeking more knowledge of space including beyond our solar system. We share this knowledge freely. We were just now getting back into manned space travel but again only to orbital space stations. Then, the President declared it to be NASA's goal to return to the moon within 5 years. At this writing (March 30, 2020) The Democrats control the House where they have obstructed everything this president has tried to do and they appear to hate military, border control, and space endeavors. Citing a maritime parallel to our space competition with China, Steven L. Kwast, a retired Air Force general and former commander of the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas noted in a recent speech; "Today, while America is building lighthouses and listening stations that can see and hear what is happening in space, China is building battleships and destroyers that can move fast and strike hard—the equivalent of a Navy in space." China is winning the space race not because it makes better equipment, but because it has a more single minded purpose. "The Chinese are open about their plan to become the dominant power in space by 2049, the centennial of the end of the Communist Chinese Revolution and of the founding of the People’s Republic of China under Mao Zedong. "
President Trump directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to start the formation of a "Space Force" as our 6th branch of the armed forces in June of 2018. The Congress appeared to approve and provided a small appropriation. But the Congress made it clear that they expected the new service to be carved out of parts of the Air Force and other DOD organizations. The Congress has made it fairly clear that they intend to starve the Space Force as much as they have starved the border wall. None the less there is much that a designated Space Force could accomplish while waiting for the adults to return to power in Washington. We must have a distinct "Space Force" because Space is the new high ground and who so ever controls space will control the earth just as it was once and still true : "he who controls the sea rules the world".
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| Public Domain Image. Artist depiction of a weaponized satellite |
Think about it , with our robotic vehicles exploring the surface of Mars, and our space telescopes observing the universe, and our near constant publication of findings; we are giving the Dragon all of the geographic information it needs to select targets and landing sites. The Dragon is not contributing to science. It is using our information, freely shared, to avoid the costs of unmanned space probes, and orbital telescopes and any other contributions to space science. The Dragon is concentrated on orbital satellites some of which can be weaponized, if they already aren't, and manned space flight. The concentration on orbital satellite operations is for the express capability of controlling military conflict to the Dragon's advantage from the seemingly unassailable high ground of orbital space.
The China's concentration on Manned space flight is for being able to launch rescue and repair missions for their orbital hard ware, and to get to the planets of our solar system before anyone else. These the Dragon intends to occupy to the exclusion of any other nation with the skill, technology, and funding to reach them. The Chinese push into space is all about technology, they leave the exobiology, space geography, search for water, and minerals to us. We will tell them where the good stuff is and they will go get it for their exclusive use or control of distribution. We find Gen. Kwask 's assessment of a Chinese Navy forming in space to be an accurate statement following a parallel course that we long ago described in our on line book in progress "Space AS An Ocean"or Protocols
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Image PD: We are building and operating these while the Dragon is intent on creating these: |
Remember: "The Chinese are open about their plan to become the dominant power in space by 2049, the centennial of the end of the Communist Chinese Revolution and of the founding of the People’s Republic of China under Mao Zedong." (U.S. Air Force Retired General Kawst)
Enter Our Space Force. The Department of Defense (DOD) envisions a Space Force that provides services similar to certain services now provided by the Air Force. The DOD institutional vision for a Space Force at the moment is one that continues to perform the task that current space assets perform—supporting wars on the surface of the Earth. We need that mission, but we also need a Space Force eventually capable of launching and landing an armed force to the outer most planets of our solar system. and area denial missions far from beyond the dark side of the moon .The enumerated missions of the Space Force include what seems to be a mixture of the two types of services but only support of earth based warfare seems to be getting any funding: Here are the specific missions mentioned in law so far: The Space Force is specifically responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces for the following mission sets
- Space superiority
- Space domain awareness (military, civil, and commercial)
- Offensive and defensive space control
- Command and control of space forces and satellite operations
- Space support to operations (e.g. satellite communications)
- Space service support (e.g. space lift and space range operations for military, civil, and commercial operators)
- Space support to nuclear command, control, communications and nuclear detonation detection
- Missile warning and space support to missile defense operation
We must look at space operations beyond our present geocentric orbiting devices,and the moon, earth orbit, and a moon base, or even a Mars Colony will not deter the Dragon's very clear territorial intentions. The task that current space assets perform—supporting military operations on the surface of the Earth is vital today and will be for years to come. Unfortunately, the Air Force today seems as institutionally unable to envision operations of access and denial in deep space as once the Army Air Corps was reluctant to embrace the idea of a separate air force. The Air Force, out of which Congress thinks it will get most of the assets for a Space Force sees the Space Force as projecting power through air, space, and cyberspace, from basically our geocentric orbiting devices and stations. The Air Force institutional understanding appears to preclude space beyond our geocentric orbits . If the Space force is ever going to become our sixth armed service in reality it has to find the missions now that make a big difference to our national security and can be afforded on a shoe string budget. We agree entirely with General Kawst's overall view,.but we don't see the Congress or the Air Force changing their position any time soon. The Dragon intends to occupy the solar system, we will need a force that can operate beyond earth orbit and the moon. Like it or not, we are in an arms race in space.
However, fortunately at the moment, the immediate focus is on influencing military operations from space. In the short term the Air Force's view point is important. One of the most important things that a Space Force could do right now is to concentrate on SPACE CAPABILITIES , PROTECTION AND RAPID RESTORATION. This mission set is vital to our defense capabilities, serves as a deterrent and drag factor on the Dragon's ambitions, and cost very little of rare Space Force Money to get started. By concentrating on SPACE CAPABILITIES RESTORATION , PROTECTION , AND RAPID RESTORATION, the Space Force will come out of the gate with major notice, growing public support, decreased Air Force and Congressional resistance, Here are some examples of what we mean by SPACE CAPABILITIES PROTECTION AND RAPID RESTORATION .
INEXPENSIVE EARTH BASED SPACE CAPABILITY PROTECTION AND RESTORATION:
The Dragon will target at great expense our GPS navigation systems. This is one reason why the United States Naval Academy re-instituted the study of celestial navigation.
Paper charts and references, sextants, dividers, parallel rulers and Chronometers are very inexpensive compared to GPS systems, or the systems the Dragon plans to Knock ours out with. But if our ship navigators retain their traditional navigation skills.and tools our degree of navigational accuracy., post successful enemy attack, in getting on station to deliver ordinance to target falls from minus 50 feet to plus or minus 200 yards. This is not enough of a degradation to deter us from firing. This was all we had in WWII and for a long time afterward. The problem with the Navy's approach is in the lack of quantity.
We can't just limit the traditional navigational skills sets to Academy trained officers. Nor can we limit the distribution of traditional navigation instruments, charts, and reference works to just a few flag ships. The Navy and the Coast Guard, have morphed their traditional Quartermaster rates (Navigational assistant) into a more electronically orientated "Operations Rate". Coast wise and celestial navigation should be reintroduced to the Operations Ratings starting at the E-5 level. and culminating with a competent celestial navigator by E-7. The Space Force should be an open advocate of such moves because this is a low cost earth based, almost impossible to effectively counter rapid restoration of a space based capability.
The Space Force should lend academic development help to the over all program and be the primary advocate to the Navy for adoption of the program. The Navy has less interest in slowing the progress of a Space Force and makes a good target for forming an initial alliance within the now widely accepted concept of "jointness".
The Coast Guard has a very limited budget and many "unfunded mandates". The USCG uses a model of only creating and supporting those schools that are unique to certain Coast Guard missions. For most other training the USCG utilizes existing DOD schools or contractor short courses. It is a lot cheaper to lobby for a few placements within an existing school than to create and maintain a school. After more than a century the U.S. Marine Corps still prepares career officers at the U.S. Naval Academy. By establishing a Space Force career track at the Air Force Academy the Space Force saves millions while waiting for the adults to return to Washington. A Space Force career track within the Air Force Academy also tends to placate the fear within the Air Force that they are being kicked to the side of the road on space missions. None of these considerations however, should stop the Space Force from immediately getting some of their personnel into NASA astronaut training and participation in NASA missions especially those that involve building or repair in space. The Space Force needs its own cadre of experienced astronauts as soon as possible. Riding piggy back with NASA is the fast and inexpensive way to do it.
We can't just limit the traditional navigational skills sets to Academy trained officers. Nor can we limit the distribution of traditional navigation instruments, charts, and reference works to just a few flag ships. The Navy and the Coast Guard, have morphed their traditional Quartermaster rates (Navigational assistant) into a more electronically orientated "Operations Rate". Coast wise and celestial navigation should be reintroduced to the Operations Ratings starting at the E-5 level. and culminating with a competent celestial navigator by E-7. The Space Force should be an open advocate of such moves because this is a low cost earth based, almost impossible to effectively counter rapid restoration of a space based capability.
The Space Force should lend academic development help to the over all program and be the primary advocate to the Navy for adoption of the program. The Navy has less interest in slowing the progress of a Space Force and makes a good target for forming an initial alliance within the now widely accepted concept of "jointness".
The Coast Guard has a very limited budget and many "unfunded mandates". The USCG uses a model of only creating and supporting those schools that are unique to certain Coast Guard missions. For most other training the USCG utilizes existing DOD schools or contractor short courses. It is a lot cheaper to lobby for a few placements within an existing school than to create and maintain a school. After more than a century the U.S. Marine Corps still prepares career officers at the U.S. Naval Academy. By establishing a Space Force career track at the Air Force Academy the Space Force saves millions while waiting for the adults to return to Washington. A Space Force career track within the Air Force Academy also tends to placate the fear within the Air Force that they are being kicked to the side of the road on space missions. None of these considerations however, should stop the Space Force from immediately getting some of their personnel into NASA astronaut training and participation in NASA missions especially those that involve building or repair in space. The Space Force needs its own cadre of experienced astronauts as soon as possible. Riding piggy back with NASA is the fast and inexpensive way to do it.
AN EXAMPLE OF FAST AND INEXPENSIVE EARTH BASED RESTORATION OF A SPACE ASSET
Any high altitude nuclear detonation over the United States would knock out not only our space based navigational systems, but also a big part of our communications infrastructure and even much of our motorized transportation system. Here again in cooperation with other services a Space Force could lead the way with cheap but effective earth based protective measures.such as the Faraday cage . Just place an electrical generator and a radio into a Faraday cage and you have a communications device that is highly resistant to attack.
Now suppose the Navy started with a Space Force inspired and coordinated event involving only three initial Faraday Cage protected radios and generators. One could be placed in the Pentagon,. one in San Diego, one on board a flag ship heading up a test flotilla. out ward bound from San Diego. Other radios could be silenced as the Navy demonstrated the ability to communicate over long distances after an enemy high level nuclear detonation. Communications between the flag ship and other flotilla vessels would be by visual signaling as it is often done today for security of tactical information. Give the Ship's crews liberty in Hawaii and tell the local press what the mission was all about .
The Dragon watches the local press in Hawaii. They will drive themselves crazy to find out the scope and depth of the experiment. That is a good thing, possibly even a drag on Chinese research. into the attack we already fear from the Dragon.. As for the Dragon learning the extend and depth of the development; all we need do is continue to expand on the system by putting more and more vital communications and response equipment into Faraday cages. The Space Force will be able to get a lot of help in spreading this earth based space capability protection. The Army Signal Corps comes to mind as they have the skill sets to construct even large Faraday cages capable of protecting motor vehicles and small power generation plants.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a group of ham operators who have global reach already . Many of their radios and generators can readily be protected by equipment presently sold on Amazon. Imagine the effect on Chinese naval intelligence if a net work of CG Auxiliary Ham operators were to light up after our Test Flotilla reached Hawaii. This earth bound protection against the dreaded high altitude nuclear detonation may be implemented quickly or evolve over time depending on the cooperation of the sister services and Congress. However as long as it is clear to the Dragon that it is being implemented its very existence is a deterrent against rash action. Remember that the U.S. came out on top in the Cold war largely because we broke the economic back of the Soviet Union in an arms race they could not afford. Yes, we can spend a lot, but also frugality and simplicity and net working have a role to play in making our defenses a deterrent. We can spend billions less on very effective earth based rapid recovery of space based capabilities than what the Chinese will have to spend to build attack systems that will never have the effect they are hoping for. Whether working the low tech or high tech , high end deterrent systems, a successful Space Force should have as its highest goal the same goal as the Department of Homeland Security ... make sure nothing happens.
Once with the help and open advocacy of the Space Force our Navy has demonstrated its ability to communicate with our fleet around the world, and to position our ships to combat advantage after the total loss of our GPS and other space based navigation and communications systems we are ready to address tactical effectiveness and fire control after such losses. The first step is cataloging naval fire power by guidance system.a task the Navy would probably agree is necessary but would welcome outside help in getting the job done. The Navy still carries naval artillery. We put shot on target using pointing. training, computation of high angle fire etc, , computers welcome but not required. However, what about naval missiles, air craft, and drones both water borne and air borne? Remember the fleet at sea is unlikely to be disabled by a high altitude nuclear burst over the United States.The the fleet could have its space system guided ordnance rendered useless by having our navigational satellites attacked by enemy satellites.Some of these assets are designed to be self guided, However ,others require guidance from space. Here a cataloging chore is needed. Minus our naval weapons guided from space capabilities that we are likely to lose in the face of a preemptive attack how much residual controllable fire power do we have in the fleet? How should the knowledge of this affect future development and acquisitions of both the Navy and the Space Force. In all cases we want to have serious naval punching power coming out of a preemptive attack. A viable space force ahead of the game in space capabilities protection, and restoration can help.
As for the Dragon its intelligence services will learn eventually that we have growing protection from loss of space based services via almost impossible to knock out low tech, earth based arts and systems, The Dragon will learn that we have arranged these back up programs with the express intent of having lots of surviving and effective naval fire power in the event of preemptive attack. Whats a Dragon to do? Invest in a still larger Navy? Invest in more expensive orbital systems? A program such as this initial survey, inventory, and organizational redirection does not force much in the way of immediate expenses on us, but an aggressor will be facing a higher bar. Such an approach sends the focus of this seemingly most expensive arms race back down to earth, particularly to the naval realm, re-enforcing and prolonging the concept "that he who rules the seas, rules the world." and delaying any real warfare in space for a while longer. It falls in line with what ought to be the Space Force's reason for existence; making sure nothing happens.
Editor's note: What follows are more details on recent Space Force events mentioned in our opening editor's note and one of the primary reasons for our recent revision and edit. Having said all that there have been in the last few weeks (This written March 30, 2020 ) some notable Space Force accomplishments. The U.S.Space Force Space and Missile System Center (An Air Force Legacy.) released a solicitation for a 10 year contract to manage the Space Enterprise. Consortium. This is in keeping with the Space Force Mission of " Revolutionize manufacturing by acquiring and deploying resources from space and in space (Promote the growth of the U.S. Space Industry). The Coast Guard and Maritime Administration have a sharp dividing line. The Maritime Administration has the task of insuring that there is an American Merchant Marine. The Coast Guard assures the safety of this critical defense related industry. The net result is a common saying among U.S. Merchant Marine Officers; "The Coast Guard insures the safety of the largest non existent merchant marine in the world." We have little American history of putting the promotion and regulation of a vital defense related industry under a single agency. We should proceed carefully this is new turf.
Also in recent days (this written March 30, 2020), the Space Force launched its first unmanned mission with the help of civilian contractors. A United Launch Alliance Atlas Five rocket carried a U.S. Space Force communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Again this was likely an Air Force legacy operation that involved very little Space Force funding, but an important experience for the Space Force and a great PR opportunity if the main stream media had paid any attention.. l .
We expect funding to be scarce for the Space Force as long as Democrats have any say so in the budget process. Thus assistance to the Naval Establishment can yield a lot of good PR within and without the Department of Defense. . While a return to paper navigation skills assures us of the ability to place naval firepower where it needs to be, this is not a navigation system for a single seat fighter bomber. In Vietnam the Coast Guard operated LORAN systems. When LORAN appeared to be becoming obsolete the USCG proposed other land based solutions that required fewer broadcasting stations. One system was supposed to provide global electronic navigation services using only eight earth based stations, The Space Force could again provide a serious contribution by urging the Coast to reexamine such systems. Receivers for any non space based navigation system, operable by a pilot or flight officer should be installed and tested on some flight leader manned air craft. By providing encouragement and possibly some funding assistance with the early testing and development phase.the Space Force again drives naval improvement at low cost during a time when the Navy's brass are struggling to keep a minimum ship building program going in the face of a hostile Congress..
There are of course space capabilities that we need which don't lend themselves to the low tech solutions that we have outlined for naval navigation and communications losses. Some of these will require expensive solutions such as hidden orbital replacement satellites, and ready on the launch pad replacement orbital systems, These are the immediately needed high end.portion of the Space Force's defense contribution. Unfortunately this part of space capabilities reconstruction forces do not appear on the budget agenda in the immediately foreseeable future. The Air Force has some of these types of assets but will only let go of them to the Space Force gradually.
What about the totally necessary ability of the Space Force to project power in space beyond earth orbit and the moon? The Space Force needs time to build up competencies and resources and a public image before expecting Congress to provide funding. The Space Force presently envisioned by the DOD, especially the Air Force lacks these essential; capabilities. "Correspondingly, the Defense Department and Congress think that the Air Force should build the Space Force. So far, this has amounted to the Air Force planning to improve the current Satellite Command incrementally and call it a Space Force. It is not planning to accelerate the new space economy with dual-use technologies. It is not planning to protect the Moon or travel corridors in space to and from resource locations. Raw materials worth trillions of dollars are available within a few days’ travel from Earth, and other strategic high grounds. It is not planning to place human beings in space to build and protect innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the physical environment. The present development plan does not include developing means to rescue Americans who may get stranded or lost in space."
Our Analysis suggest that the wisest course for the new Space Force right out of the box is an acceptance of the limits the Air Force is placing upon it. The Air force will be controlling much of the budget in the first years. However the Space Force should adopt in a quite public manner a "joint forces approach" and start with some highly effective but low costs assistance to the Navy. Marine Corps, Coast Guard team.The Air Force will have a difficult time being critical of the new service's immediate orientation towards space capabilities RECONSTRUCTION, PROTECTION, AND RAPID RESTORATION.
We don't see how the Space Force can promote the U.S. space industries if isn't also involved in their regulation. An armed service doing regulatory work faces constitutional hurdles in the United States . But it is done. The US Coast Guard enforces all Federal Laws on the High Seas and territorial waters of the United States. The Coast Guard regulates the safety of our Merchant Marine from vessel inspections to the licensing of officers and the certification of the ratings. In order to do these things the Coast Guard is housed away from the Department of Defense. There exists legal fast tracks to make the entire service a separate and distinct service within the Navy , or to "second" particular personnel and or vessels, or air craft to Navy in times of national emergency, or as a matter of routine when serious DOD needs for Coast Guard services arise.The evolving Space Force will soon find itself involved in some major regulatory situations based on the long range mission plans for the service.
Enter Rapid Recovery Systems:
Below are some of the big budget, near term missions for the Space Force not likely to draw institutional fire from the Air Force. All of these missions address near term threats to our ability to control armed conflict on earth which is where the Air Force focus is at the moment. But the President had much more in mind in terms of tasking for the Space Force. As we mentioned earlier the eventual missions of the Space Force will go beyond earth orbital, Moon, and Mars related activity. Among the eventual missions envisioned beyond the near earth missions :
EVENTUAL MISSIONS OF THE SPACE FORCE KNOWN SO FAR:
The PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE (USPHS) lost most of the sanitation mission set along with the provision of free medical services to the U.S. Merchant Marine during the Reagan administration. With a few decades to look back on we find that the prevention of exotic intrusion ( introduction of plants and animals not considered pests in their native environments but very destructive in new environments ) has become everyone's problem and thus no one's problem. Exotic intrusion is increasing and increasingly destructive while the Department of Agriculture, the Coast Guard, and state and local agencies are all trying to do bits and pieces of the job that the USPHS did comprehensively and with military dedication. One obviously net result is that if you visit any American port today "rat guards "are rarely seen on the mooring lines of ships from all over the world. Rodents get on and off without difficulty and with them all of the insects and micro organisms they carry.
Its called the "Colombian Exchange" and it has been global since 1492. from snakes in Guam, to rabbits in Australia, to lion fish in Florida's coastal waters, It has also been benign to beneficial in terms of domestic plants and wildlife; potatoes from the Andes to Ireland. Corn from North America to Europe, horses reintroduced to North America. However along with the wild horses came feral hogs now destroying wild life habitat all across the South.The flue travels globally annually now. Sometimes seeming new viruses appear as was the case with the Coronavirus (C-19 ) virus that swept the world in 2019-2020. While scientific opinion differs on whether or not virus constitutes a life form, they reproduce and are transported by life forms. Consider that it has been shown that viruses can survive earth atmospheric entry. Given what we now know about our solar system, a virus is a most likely unwanted hitch hiker on a return soil sample, Early on a Space Force must establish authority for sanitation aboard American space vehicles,.be prepared to render international services for nations that request it, become the voice of the United States in forums and tribunals where international law on such matters is being hammered out, if you will, a national lobbyist for space sanitation. Again, unusual for an armed service but, the Coast Guard is our representative before the UN's International Maritime Safety groups and takes a lead role in Arctic councils. Unusual but far from unheard of.
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Any high altitude nuclear detonation over the United States would knock out not only our space based navigational systems, but also a big part of our communications infrastructure and even much of our motorized transportation system. Here again in cooperation with other services a Space Force could lead the way with cheap but effective earth based protective measures.such as the Faraday cage . Just place an electrical generator and a radio into a Faraday cage and you have a communications device that is highly resistant to attack.
Now suppose the Navy started with a Space Force inspired and coordinated event involving only three initial Faraday Cage protected radios and generators. One could be placed in the Pentagon,. one in San Diego, one on board a flag ship heading up a test flotilla. out ward bound from San Diego. Other radios could be silenced as the Navy demonstrated the ability to communicate over long distances after an enemy high level nuclear detonation. Communications between the flag ship and other flotilla vessels would be by visual signaling as it is often done today for security of tactical information. Give the Ship's crews liberty in Hawaii and tell the local press what the mission was all about .
The Dragon watches the local press in Hawaii. They will drive themselves crazy to find out the scope and depth of the experiment. That is a good thing, possibly even a drag on Chinese research. into the attack we already fear from the Dragon.. As for the Dragon learning the extend and depth of the development; all we need do is continue to expand on the system by putting more and more vital communications and response equipment into Faraday cages. The Space Force will be able to get a lot of help in spreading this earth based space capability protection. The Army Signal Corps comes to mind as they have the skill sets to construct even large Faraday cages capable of protecting motor vehicles and small power generation plants.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a group of ham operators who have global reach already . Many of their radios and generators can readily be protected by equipment presently sold on Amazon. Imagine the effect on Chinese naval intelligence if a net work of CG Auxiliary Ham operators were to light up after our Test Flotilla reached Hawaii. This earth bound protection against the dreaded high altitude nuclear detonation may be implemented quickly or evolve over time depending on the cooperation of the sister services and Congress. However as long as it is clear to the Dragon that it is being implemented its very existence is a deterrent against rash action. Remember that the U.S. came out on top in the Cold war largely because we broke the economic back of the Soviet Union in an arms race they could not afford. Yes, we can spend a lot, but also frugality and simplicity and net working have a role to play in making our defenses a deterrent. We can spend billions less on very effective earth based rapid recovery of space based capabilities than what the Chinese will have to spend to build attack systems that will never have the effect they are hoping for. Whether working the low tech or high tech , high end deterrent systems, a successful Space Force should have as its highest goal the same goal as the Department of Homeland Security ... make sure nothing happens.
Once with the help and open advocacy of the Space Force our Navy has demonstrated its ability to communicate with our fleet around the world, and to position our ships to combat advantage after the total loss of our GPS and other space based navigation and communications systems we are ready to address tactical effectiveness and fire control after such losses. The first step is cataloging naval fire power by guidance system.a task the Navy would probably agree is necessary but would welcome outside help in getting the job done. The Navy still carries naval artillery. We put shot on target using pointing. training, computation of high angle fire etc, , computers welcome but not required. However, what about naval missiles, air craft, and drones both water borne and air borne? Remember the fleet at sea is unlikely to be disabled by a high altitude nuclear burst over the United States.The the fleet could have its space system guided ordnance rendered useless by having our navigational satellites attacked by enemy satellites.Some of these assets are designed to be self guided, However ,others require guidance from space. Here a cataloging chore is needed. Minus our naval weapons guided from space capabilities that we are likely to lose in the face of a preemptive attack how much residual controllable fire power do we have in the fleet? How should the knowledge of this affect future development and acquisitions of both the Navy and the Space Force. In all cases we want to have serious naval punching power coming out of a preemptive attack. A viable space force ahead of the game in space capabilities protection, and restoration can help.
As for the Dragon its intelligence services will learn eventually that we have growing protection from loss of space based services via almost impossible to knock out low tech, earth based arts and systems, The Dragon will learn that we have arranged these back up programs with the express intent of having lots of surviving and effective naval fire power in the event of preemptive attack. Whats a Dragon to do? Invest in a still larger Navy? Invest in more expensive orbital systems? A program such as this initial survey, inventory, and organizational redirection does not force much in the way of immediate expenses on us, but an aggressor will be facing a higher bar. Such an approach sends the focus of this seemingly most expensive arms race back down to earth, particularly to the naval realm, re-enforcing and prolonging the concept "that he who rules the seas, rules the world." and delaying any real warfare in space for a while longer. It falls in line with what ought to be the Space Force's reason for existence; making sure nothing happens.
Editor's note: What follows are more details on recent Space Force events mentioned in our opening editor's note and one of the primary reasons for our recent revision and edit. Having said all that there have been in the last few weeks (This written March 30, 2020 ) some notable Space Force accomplishments. The U.S.Space Force Space and Missile System Center (An Air Force Legacy.) released a solicitation for a 10 year contract to manage the Space Enterprise. Consortium. This is in keeping with the Space Force Mission of " Revolutionize manufacturing by acquiring and deploying resources from space and in space (Promote the growth of the U.S. Space Industry). The Coast Guard and Maritime Administration have a sharp dividing line. The Maritime Administration has the task of insuring that there is an American Merchant Marine. The Coast Guard assures the safety of this critical defense related industry. The net result is a common saying among U.S. Merchant Marine Officers; "The Coast Guard insures the safety of the largest non existent merchant marine in the world." We have little American history of putting the promotion and regulation of a vital defense related industry under a single agency. We should proceed carefully this is new turf.
Also in recent days (this written March 30, 2020), the Space Force launched its first unmanned mission with the help of civilian contractors. A United Launch Alliance Atlas Five rocket carried a U.S. Space Force communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Again this was likely an Air Force legacy operation that involved very little Space Force funding, but an important experience for the Space Force and a great PR opportunity if the main stream media had paid any attention.. l .
We expect funding to be scarce for the Space Force as long as Democrats have any say so in the budget process. Thus assistance to the Naval Establishment can yield a lot of good PR within and without the Department of Defense. . While a return to paper navigation skills assures us of the ability to place naval firepower where it needs to be, this is not a navigation system for a single seat fighter bomber. In Vietnam the Coast Guard operated LORAN systems. When LORAN appeared to be becoming obsolete the USCG proposed other land based solutions that required fewer broadcasting stations. One system was supposed to provide global electronic navigation services using only eight earth based stations, The Space Force could again provide a serious contribution by urging the Coast to reexamine such systems. Receivers for any non space based navigation system, operable by a pilot or flight officer should be installed and tested on some flight leader manned air craft. By providing encouragement and possibly some funding assistance with the early testing and development phase.the Space Force again drives naval improvement at low cost during a time when the Navy's brass are struggling to keep a minimum ship building program going in the face of a hostile Congress..
There are of course space capabilities that we need which don't lend themselves to the low tech solutions that we have outlined for naval navigation and communications losses. Some of these will require expensive solutions such as hidden orbital replacement satellites, and ready on the launch pad replacement orbital systems, These are the immediately needed high end.portion of the Space Force's defense contribution. Unfortunately this part of space capabilities reconstruction forces do not appear on the budget agenda in the immediately foreseeable future. The Air Force has some of these types of assets but will only let go of them to the Space Force gradually.
What about the totally necessary ability of the Space Force to project power in space beyond earth orbit and the moon? The Space Force needs time to build up competencies and resources and a public image before expecting Congress to provide funding. The Space Force presently envisioned by the DOD, especially the Air Force lacks these essential; capabilities. "Correspondingly, the Defense Department and Congress think that the Air Force should build the Space Force. So far, this has amounted to the Air Force planning to improve the current Satellite Command incrementally and call it a Space Force. It is not planning to accelerate the new space economy with dual-use technologies. It is not planning to protect the Moon or travel corridors in space to and from resource locations. Raw materials worth trillions of dollars are available within a few days’ travel from Earth, and other strategic high grounds. It is not planning to place human beings in space to build and protect innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the physical environment. The present development plan does not include developing means to rescue Americans who may get stranded or lost in space."
Our Analysis suggest that the wisest course for the new Space Force right out of the box is an acceptance of the limits the Air Force is placing upon it. The Air force will be controlling much of the budget in the first years. However the Space Force should adopt in a quite public manner a "joint forces approach" and start with some highly effective but low costs assistance to the Navy. Marine Corps, Coast Guard team.The Air Force will have a difficult time being critical of the new service's immediate orientation towards space capabilities RECONSTRUCTION, PROTECTION, AND RAPID RESTORATION.
We don't see how the Space Force can promote the U.S. space industries if isn't also involved in their regulation. An armed service doing regulatory work faces constitutional hurdles in the United States . But it is done. The US Coast Guard enforces all Federal Laws on the High Seas and territorial waters of the United States. The Coast Guard regulates the safety of our Merchant Marine from vessel inspections to the licensing of officers and the certification of the ratings. In order to do these things the Coast Guard is housed away from the Department of Defense. There exists legal fast tracks to make the entire service a separate and distinct service within the Navy , or to "second" particular personnel and or vessels, or air craft to Navy in times of national emergency, or as a matter of routine when serious DOD needs for Coast Guard services arise.The evolving Space Force will soon find itself involved in some major regulatory situations based on the long range mission plans for the service.
Enter Rapid Recovery Systems:
Below are some of the big budget, near term missions for the Space Force not likely to draw institutional fire from the Air Force. All of these missions address near term threats to our ability to control armed conflict on earth which is where the Air Force focus is at the moment. But the President had much more in mind in terms of tasking for the Space Force. As we mentioned earlier the eventual missions of the Space Force will go beyond earth orbital, Moon, and Mars related activity. Among the eventual missions envisioned beyond the near earth missions :
EVENTUAL MISSIONS OF THE SPACE FORCE KNOWN SO FAR:
- Develop a deterrence capability that will render ICBMs and nuclear weapons useless relics of the past. Remember a primary focus of the Space Force is to help assure that NOTHING HAPPENS.
- Defend Earth against small asteroids like the one that hit Russia in 2013. and eventually large asteroids as well.
- Reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters by managing the eyes of hurricanes and the funnels of tornadoes with energy from space.
- Provide a shelter in space for the protection and preservation of people, seeds, animals and life-saving medicines, so humanity can recover from any unexpected contamination.
- Design space based defense capabilities to preserve our economy, and our population .
- Other Activities of the eventual mature Space Force would include some activities that are routinely done by other armed forces in concert with other industries. Remember the Chinese intend to not only dominate space physically by 2049 but also to dominate the space industries on earth. Our Space Force must be ready early on to protect its industrial production and supply lines. The present existing armed forces do this in a variety of ways mostly involving assurance of multiple providers, by spreading production work around multiple providers. The other armed forces also monitor economically weak but important providers and try to send them some work in time to prevent closure of production lines. Additionally the older DOD agencies provide research grants This type of cooperation requires no new legislation other than funding. Here are some of the cooperative space industry protective measures that some proponents of the Space Force have proposed:
- Provide fresh water for every human without the need for aquifers or pipes.
- Build a new low-cost internet that is designed to be secure so that every human can connect, share, and learn with assured privacy .
- Deliver unlimited, clean, affordable energy to every human on the planet with less terrestrial infrastructure and dramatically less cost.
- Revolutionize manufacturing by acquiring and deploying resources from space and in space. Early on this would include manufacturing of certain commodities like certain pharmaceuticals that we already know would be greatly improved by manufacture in a low to no G environment.
- IF THE SPACE FORCE IS GOING TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN ASSURING THAT THE UNITED STATES DOESN'T FALL BEHIND CHINA IN OVERALL SPACE INDUSTRIES IT WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO ASSUME SOME POWERS OF REGULATION. Under the U.S. Constitution it is very difficult to assign regulatory functions to an armed forces but it has been done. The U.S. Coast Guard lawfully exercises comprehensive safety regulation over the U.S. Maritime industries including the licensing of Merchant Marine Officers and the certification of seamen as well as environmental regulation. The Coast Guard is now tasked with enforcing "all federal laws" on the High Seas and navigable waters of the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with navigational and flood control infrastructure building including with "partners" such as industry groups, state and local governments, particularly on a cost sharing basis. As a logical out come of this infrastructure work, the Corps had been given certain regulatory authorities over the navigable waters of the U.S. .
- HERE AGAIN ARE SOME MORE OF THE FUTURE COOPERATIVE TYPE VENTURES THAT THE PROPONENTS OF THE SPACE FORCE HAVE DESCRIBED
- Design defense capabilities probably including earth based intelligence programs to preserve our economy, our population, and our infrastructure such as our power lines and terrestrial power plants. .
- Revolutionize manufacturing by acquiring and deploying resources from space and in space. This opens the door to some early on opportunities unusual for an American Armed Force but hardly unheard of elsewhere in the world. We already know of certain products that would be vitally enhanced by manufacture in a low G or 0 G environment. The companies involved can't spare the type of capital it takes for orbital manufacturing sites , or launch services to support delivery of supplies and finished product. However, some of these products are far more valuable than gold. In the case of some pharmaceutical products a shoe box of product is worth more than a truck load of gold. Some spare space in both Space Force stations and service vehicles could open the doors to a unique partnership The Space Force is expected to facilitate the rapid growth of space industries .and could always use the money. Chinese and Russian armed forces engage in this sort of funding activity all the time. The first use of paid advertising in space was when the `Russians launched a rocket with a Dominoes Pizza logo painted on the side, Eventually the early users of Space Force business incubators will be able to afford their own dedicated orbital manufacturing facilities and shuttle services but some space industrial incubator spaces on Space Force stations and vehicles will quickly be taken up by other start ups. More over with other military needs of the force difficult to determine , and space search and rescue definitely on the agenda, extra cargo and passenger room is prudent in such designs. .Take a close look into the U.S Navy's present day "sea-lift" problems and lets avoid their parallels in Space. ::
SOME NEW NAVAL SUPPLY VESSELS WILL BE RE-DESIGNATED "WAR SHIPS" FOR THE SEA BASING MISSION
See also: SEALIFT STILL LAGS / MARAD RESERVE FLEET TEETERING
( in the event the hot links malfunction or you rereading this in printed format the complete URL for linked posts are https://americanadmiraltybooks.blogspot.com/2020/02/some-new-naval-supply-vessels-will-be.html and https://americanadmiraltybooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/sealift-still-lags.html
It is also clear that early proponents of a Space Force envision space search and rescue as one of its missions.
U.S. Coast Guard history indicates that their famous search and rescue at sea capacities evolved over time starting with nothing more than permissive authority to engage in search and rescue. That mission now dominates the public image of the US Coast Guard and forms a major part of each annual budget. We are just about certain that something similar will evolve with the Space Force.
We, Helios Ruehls, Inc.; envision one more mission set for the Space Force that seems to be over looked by the early proponents, Space sanitation , the prevention of an outer space based repeat of the "Colombian Exchange" a terrestrial event from 1492 that we are still suffering from. Think of the sea lampreys that have invaded the U.S. Great Lakes, and the flying carp trying to get into the Great Lakes from rivers where they are already well established, the python and iguana invasions of Florida, the walking catfish, fire ants, and kudzu vine. We are going to be bringing back soil samples from other planets very soon with industrial sized shipments following on in the more distant future. For many years a uniformed and para-naval organization had taken over such sanitation duties at U. S. Seaports and air terminals That uniformed service was the U.S. Public Health Service. 
The PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE (USPHS) lost most of the sanitation mission set along with the provision of free medical services to the U.S. Merchant Marine during the Reagan administration. With a few decades to look back on we find that the prevention of exotic intrusion ( introduction of plants and animals not considered pests in their native environments but very destructive in new environments ) has become everyone's problem and thus no one's problem. Exotic intrusion is increasing and increasingly destructive while the Department of Agriculture, the Coast Guard, and state and local agencies are all trying to do bits and pieces of the job that the USPHS did comprehensively and with military dedication. One obviously net result is that if you visit any American port today "rat guards "are rarely seen on the mooring lines of ships from all over the world. Rodents get on and off without difficulty and with them all of the insects and micro organisms they carry.
Its called the "Colombian Exchange" and it has been global since 1492. from snakes in Guam, to rabbits in Australia, to lion fish in Florida's coastal waters, It has also been benign to beneficial in terms of domestic plants and wildlife; potatoes from the Andes to Ireland. Corn from North America to Europe, horses reintroduced to North America. However along with the wild horses came feral hogs now destroying wild life habitat all across the South.The flue travels globally annually now. Sometimes seeming new viruses appear as was the case with the Coronavirus (C-19 ) virus that swept the world in 2019-2020. While scientific opinion differs on whether or not virus constitutes a life form, they reproduce and are transported by life forms. Consider that it has been shown that viruses can survive earth atmospheric entry. Given what we now know about our solar system, a virus is a most likely unwanted hitch hiker on a return soil sample, Early on a Space Force must establish authority for sanitation aboard American space vehicles,.be prepared to render international services for nations that request it, become the voice of the United States in forums and tribunals where international law on such matters is being hammered out, if you will, a national lobbyist for space sanitation. Again, unusual for an armed service but, the Coast Guard is our representative before the UN's International Maritime Safety groups and takes a lead role in Arctic councils. Unusual but far from unheard of.
The Dragon has shown its willingness to use "law fare" to attempt to change international law as it applies to the sea. There is no reason that they won't launch an effort related to space. The Space Force must develop and maintain a legal corps well schooled in international law especially the emerging field of Space law. When the Dragon escapes its lair and heads to the international court houses the American Space Force must follow and contest. The American Space Force also shouldn't be above aiming some "law fare " at the Dragon in preemptive legal strikes to keep harmful cases from even being heard. bad behavior at sea predicts bad behavior in space.; 
THE DRAGON IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND OUTER SPACE (https://americanadmiraltybooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-dragon-in-south-china-sea-and-outer.html)
A lot of this sounds like science fiction or futurist writing to the average American including politicians. But here at Helios Ruehls , Inc where we keep an eye on emerging technologies including for investment purposes these things look to be anywhere from a few years before emerging as technological realities to a few decades away. Its our opinion that a robust American Space Force is needed as soon as possible and must be overwhelming. We have witnessed the birth of such a corps and negative atmosphere into it which it emerged. This is why we suggest the low tech, low cost initial actions and early partnership with the Navy while support builds for the wide variety of missions that we need a Space Force for. Our examination of the potential of a Space Force suggests that while it must presently operate under largely Air Force imposed conditions, the future developed service more resembles a coast guard in space than a high altitude Air Force element or traditional navy. Most closely the future Space Force appear to resemble the U.S. Coast Guard during the Cold War. To insure that "nothing happens" the Space Force must anticipate the enemy's intentions and throw up an effective deterrent, be it political, budget related, or legal. Immediate contact with and services aimed at the naval establishment as described earlier in this report would render big benefits to the future development of the service. Study of U.S. Coast Guard history and modern organization would be of great benefit to all senior officers.
For Helios Ruehls, Inc
R.F. Bollinger, Analyst
Copy right notes: This "White Paper" has been prepared in the public interest by Helios Ruehls, Inc. for free distribution to Air Force, Space Force, Naval, and academic interested parties. Such parties may use any part of the paper in whole or in part or as modified as they see fit to make a point or counter point under an extension of the "fair use" provisions of U.S. copy right law. Other wise, copy right protections apply and if an interested party is not a member of one of the above groups permission will be required to republish.
About the author: R.F. Bollinger is a retired analyst for the DHS where he specialized in maritime matters . He is also a retired Merchant Marine Officer. Anyone wishing to make contact should alert the author via the comment section that follows the blog version of this report.
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