AU Library
Space: The Space Horizons Research Task Force (SHRTF) was asked by the National Security Council to explore two broad questions: was American space policy adequate to meet the needs of the future and if not, what needs to be addresses; and are there any lessons to be learned from other services’ doctrine that can inform the doctrine of the United States Space Force.
To answer these questions, the SHRTF selected six Air War College and six Air Command and Staff College students that included Air Force, Army, Army National Guard, Colombian Air Force and civilian students whose specialties included pilots, engineers, intelligence, logistics, and acquisitions experience. Over the course of three terms, the students were immersed in airpower and seapower history, space law and policy, and advanced space concepts in order to answer the questions posed by the NSC.
All students prepared research papers that explored all facets of policy and doctrine. Papers ranged from current concerns to mid-term space challenges across DIME, including a detailed analysis of published space doctrine, military space culture, how the Colombian Air Force can leverage the USAF experience in developing its own space culture, challenges in space law, DOTMLPF analysis of the Space Force, both cooperation and long range competition with China, space tourism, and economic analysis space propellant depots.
The papers have been delivered to the SHRTF sponsor and the class is developing all entries into a potential anthology published with Air University Press. Many papers are already under consideration for publication by the Space Force Association.
For AY21: The stand-up of a space seminar at AWC and the scaling up of Schriever seminars at ACSC led to the discontinuation of the Space Horizons RTF in favor of these school-based curriculums.
