The White House has adopted a new US national space policy, the 10 unclassified pages of which state that the United States will "preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in space; dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to US national interests".
In addition, the document makes clear that the US will oppose any international arms control agreements or restrictions which would harm its rights to conduct research, development, testing, and operations or other activities in space for its national interests. "Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power," states the document.
The new policy goals include empowering a globally competitive domestic commercial space sector to promote innovation and a "robust science and technology base" to support national and homeland security and civil space activities.
The EU has decided to develop a genuine European space policy and programme to guarantee access to capabilities in the development, launch and operation of space assets, secured through a mix of independent capability, strategic international partnership and reliance on market forces and to maintain excellence in the European space sector. The Commission communication on the preliminary elements of a European space policy was published in May 2005.
