- COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado: A US Air Force general and a Pentagon official say they predict a difficult picture for the military space program, with tight budgets, complicated demands and increasing congestion in orbit.
Gen. William Shelton said Tuesday at a forum in Colorado Springs he expects no increases in his budget, while demands for critical services such as the military-run Global Positioning System won’t decline.
He told space contractors that the military and industry must find a way to contain costs, especially on launches.
Separately, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, Gregory Schulte, said space-faring nations have to keep the problem of orbital congestion from worsening.
The military tracks about 21,000 objects in orbit, including satellites and human-made debris.