China’s ‘Planetary Defense Force’ seen justifying space militarization

China’s ‘Planetary Defense Force’ seen justifying space militarization

FPI / February 21, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher A December 2024 discovery of a new large asteroid heading our way — even though it has a 99 percent chance of missing the Earth — is nevertheless providing an excuse for China to assemble a “Planetary Defense Force” that could justify China’s building of a […]

Putin reformulates Russia’s Mars ambitions

Putin reformulates Russia’s Mars ambitions

FPI / February 14, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 oath to “…plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars” has not gone unnoticed in Russia — and very likely also in China. On Feb. 7 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin touted Russia’s longstanding Mars ambitions even  though his space program […]

Moon, Mars programs are both critical for U.S. national security

Moon, Mars programs are both critical for U.S. national security

FPI / February 7, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Securing and defending American access to both the Moon and Mars are crucial to the future security of the United States and its democratic allies. Even though during his first term, Trump revived the U.S. manned Moon program in his Executive Order of Dec. 11, 2017, […]

Trump’s order ends 40-year debate over missile defense, space weapons

Trump’s order ends 40-year debate over missile defense, space weapons

FPI / January 31, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher On the way toward fulfilling a campaign promise and beginning a shift of the global strategic balance of power back toward the United States — to include putting defensive U.S. weapons in space — on Jan. 27 President Donald J. Trump signed his executive order titled […]

Trump, Mars, and the fate of humanity

Trump, Mars, and the fate of humanity

FPI / January 24, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher On Jan. 20, 2025 a reelected President Donald J. Trump began his peaceful “revolution of common sense,” inaugural address featuring national optimism and purpose. But Trump also laid down a momentous challenge to Americans, allies and enemies alike with the potential to upend the global balance […]

China’s state media touts targeting of U.S. mega-constellations

China’s state media touts targeting of U.S. mega-constellations

FPI / January 16, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher A deadly space competition between China and the United States was demonstrated by a Jan.12 article in the unofficial Chinese state media South China Morning Post (SCMP) on how Chinese engineers are developing the means to target U.S. satellite mega-constellations. The SCMP article was likely coercive […]

China launches combat-ready SJ-25 interceptor-refueling satellite

China launches combat-ready SJ-25 interceptor-refueling satellite

FPI / January 10, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher For its first satellite launch for 2025, China decided to demonstrate the dual-use nature of its space program, by launching its Shi Jian (Experimental)-25 satellite, ostensibly to test satellite refueling, but which can also perfect satellite interception, capture and destruction skills for the new Aerospace Force […]

‘Near Space’ edge: China on track to dominate military conflicts on earth

‘Near Space’ edge: China on track to dominate military conflicts on earth

FPI / January 3, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher In Dec. 2024 China has revealed that it is making advances that could enable its domination of “Near Space,” which could go far to ensure that China can dominate military conflicts on Earth. Like the United States, China has long viewed the region known as “Near […]

Trump picks space entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA

Trump picks space entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA

FPI / December 20, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Though not a Cabinet position, the leader of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a political prominence greater than most Cabinet members, as this person is responsible for American leadership into the “final frontier,” with competency requirements that straddle the realms of engineering, […]

NASA delays Artemis 3 Moon mission to 2027, ceding momentum to China

NASA delays Artemis 3 Moon mission to 2027, ceding momentum to China

FPI / December 13, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Once again, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has delayed the Artemis-III return-to-the-Moon-mission, this time to mid-2027, again ceding momentum to China, which could begin occupying the Moon as early as 2029. This latest delay was announced by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a Dec. […]