Dangerous race in space( an excellent read on misle defence, etc)

[mom cat]

Japan
Jul 9, 2005

http://atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GG09Dh04.html

Dangerous race in space
By Bruce K Gagnon

(Republished with permission from Japan Focus)

Japan is embarking on a historic and potentially dangerous journey into space, urged on by the US, which seeks a more heavily armed and militarily active partner in the Asia-Pacific.

Space technology is being developed for two primary reasons. One is to give nations the ability to better coordinate warfare on Earth. The second is that many nations and corporations view space as the "new world". Gold on asteroids, water and helium-3 on the moon, magnesium, cobalt and uranium believed to be on Mars. Corporations intend to venture to these planetary bodies and secure massive profits in the years ahead. But first, new space technologies have to be created that make it possible, and cost effective, to "mine the skies". <1>

If citizens can be convinced that their nation must use space technologies to "protect" them from enemies real or imagined, then this investment in space technology can also be used to create the infrastructure that will allow these same aerospace industries to mine the heavens. Thus space technology becomes "dual use". With the development for military use also comes development for corporate use. The question is, who benefits? Who pays and who reaps the profits?

Japan is working on both military and civilian space technologies, developing so-called "missile defense" systems, new generations of military spy satellites, and planning for manned stations on the moon. All of these programs will come at a tremendous cost to Japanese taxpayers and will set the course for a more aggressive foreign policy in the coming years.

Much more...