The US Department of Defense is working to normalize space as an operational domain, according to John Plumb, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. Speaking at the Space Symposium, Plumb said that doing so requires collaboration with allies and the commercial sector. Plumb led a space strategic review last year, which found that China is the department’s biggest challenger in space. Normalizing space as an operational domain is key to deterring conflict in space, he said. The DoD is strengthening space partnerships with initiatives such as the Combined Space Operations initiative and the NATO space center. Plumb also recognized the commercial space industry as a major driver of economic growth and innovation. However, he said that over-classification of space information is a barrier to effective partnership with commercial space providers. The department is pushing to deal with this issue at the highest levels.
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