"We link ourselves to space to make life better on Earth," Estes said. While not everyone may yet benefit directly from such equipment as the Global Positioning System, space-based assets affect our lives in many ways, according to the general. The recent failure of the Galaxy-5 satellite, which crippled most pager and cell phone communications in North America, is an example of this critical relationship.

The "final frontier" will continue to grow in importance in coming years, according to Estes. In addition to supporting military missions through communications, intelligence and tracking, space is important to our nation�s 21st century economy, he said.

In the last year alone, he said, the number of satellites in orbit increased from 500 to 600. Many of these are critical to emerging telecommunications technologies. By the year 2000, analysts project that U.S. corporations may be investing as much as $100 billion on space and space-related projects.

With such a heavy investment forecast, it makes sense to find ways to protect your interests. To that end, the U.S. Space Command is determined to exert �space control,� the general said.

"Space control simply means that the U.S. has access to space, and the capability, if we have to, to deny access to someone else," Estes said. "My job as commander of USSPACECOM is to make sure the President has options if a threat to national security emerges in space."

Although the new radar at Clear has a primary mission of early warning against missile attack, its role in space surveillance continues to grow in importance.

"To deal with any threat, you first have to be able to see it. That�s why this radar is so important," Estes said.

Military Space Analysis at FAS

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Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.