Hyten and Rose Discuss Space in the Asia Pacific

Air Force Space Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. John E. Hyten, USAF, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space and Defense Policy (DoD) Frank A. Rose addressed the 29th National Space Symposium April 11 in a panel on space entitled, Region Focus - Space in the Asia Pacific.

Moderated by Space Foundation Senior Vice President - Strategic & International Affairs Steve Eisenhart, the panel focused on the cooperation that currently exists in the Asia Pacific region and what cooperation efforts are in progress. Both panelists agreed there is great benefit in creating alliances with burgeoning space programs, but the U.S. must be careful with political repercussions by countries such as China.

"Ensuring stability, cooperation and free flow of commerce in an operational area that spans almost half the globe is an immense task," said Hyten (pictured, right). "The good news is, AFSPC is already there, we're already providing unrivaled 21st century space-based capabilities to meet strategic goals, anywhere on the globe.

"Capabilities fielded by Air Force Space are resources available through the entire spectrum of operations from combat to disaster relief to humanitarian response actions," he said.

Rose (pictured, left) said protecting space is an international priority and, "We have an ongoing U.S.-Russia space security dialog. The relationship with Russia has aspects of competition, but also a great deal of cooperation."

Rose also applauds the work of U.S. Air Force in advancing the cause of cooperation in space situational awareness internationally.

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See video of the panel discussion here.

See photos of the panel here.