To Rule the Cosmic Waves: Maritime School of Thought and Space Strategy

Abstract

ABSTRACT A wide range of states support national space agencies. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France, and Australia are developing, or have developed, distinct space divisions within their military. The world is increasingly reliant on the sea for trade and prosperity, but the future will likely shift focus to space with an increasing dependence on space-based technology for a wide range of functions on Earth. Space requires a tailored strategy for states wishing to maintain security beyond the atmosphere and in its links to Earth. The maritime school of thought offers valuable insights for such a strategy. Sea control and denial are important tenets of maritime strategy and are important in space. States wishing to freely navigate, trade, and project power require control over space and the lines of communication upon common routes and orbital domains. Denial of access to key infrastructure, disabling space assets, and interfering with information exchange are an important feature of strategy. Control and denial can be accomplished with a focus on strategic geography around launch sites, and access to orbital domains and lines of communication.