text: Space Operational Environment
  “The United States considers unfettered access to and freedom to operate in space to be a
  vital interest. Any harmful interference with or an attack upon critical components of our
  space architecture that directly affects this vital U.S. interest will be met with a deliberate
  response at a time, place, manner, and domain of our choosing.”
  National Security Strategy
  2-96. The National Space Policy clearly articulates the policy of the U.S. is to conducts space operations
  deemed necessary for national security. Space operations are used for peaceful purposes while developing
  civil and commercial use of the space environment. National, DOD, and Army space policies embrace the
  prudent use of the space environment for security purposes. These policies make it clear space operations are
  a critical element of defense capabilities and should be carefully and purposefully developed by each Service,
  as appropriate, to help provide a balanced overall capability for the range of military operations. The national-
  level policies and joint directives have a direct bearing on Army space operations in support of unified land
  operations.
  NATIONAL SPACE POLICY
  2-97. The National Space Policy commits the U.S. space program to a leadership role in the world. The
  U.S. will use the space domain to preserve peace and protect national security, civil, and commercial interests.
  The National Space Policy has specific guidelines for DOD and are directly applicable to DOD and Army
  space operations. The Army should:
  * Be responsible, with support from the Director of National Intelligence, for the development,
  acquisition, operation, maintenance, and modernization of SSA capabilities;
  * Develop capabilities, plans, and options to deter, defend against, and, if necessary, defeat efforts
  to interfere with or attack U.S. or allied space systems;
  * Maintain the ability to execute space capabilities; and
  2-98. The policy identifies a set of guidelines that apply to all federal departments, agencies, and activities
  conducted in the three distinct but independent sectors of commercial, civil, and national security space
  capabilities. Some prominent national security space activities Army operations supports are identified in the
  ‘National Security Space Guidelines’ section of the document.
  * Develop, acquire, and operate space systems and supporting information systems and networks
  to support national security, and enable defense and intelligence operations during times of peace,
  crisis, and conflict.
  * Ensure cost-effective survivability of space capabilities, including supporting information
  systems and networks, commensurate with their planned use, the consequences of lost or degraded
  capability, the threat, and the availability of other means to perform the mission.
  * Develop and implement plans, procedures, techniques, and capabilities necessary to ensure
  critical national security missions. Options for mission assurance may include rapid restoration of
  space assets and leveraging allied, foreign, and or commercial space and non-space capabilities
  to help perform the mission.
  * Maintain and integrate space surveillance, reconnaissance, and other information to develop
  accurate and timely SSA. SSA information should be used to support national and homeland
  security, civil space agencies, human space flight activities, and commercial and foreign space
  operations.
  * Develop and apply advanced technologies and capabilities that respond to changes to the threat
  environment.
  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPACE POLICY
  2-99. DOD directive (DODD) 3100.10, Space Policy implements the National Space Policy, establishes
  DOD space policy, and assigns DOD responsibilities for space capabilities. It addresses the need to deter
  aggression, promote stability and responsible use of the space domain, integrate space capabilities, and
  improve mission assurance. The National Military Strategy recognizes space domain as one of the global
  commons and notes our ability to project power from this global commons may be at risk. The space domain