ABSTRACT
The Space Age began as a race for security and prestige between two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 shocked the United States and created a period of public fear and anxiety about the perceived technological gap between the United States and the Soviet Union and what the Soviet Union might do with their technology. National Security Space is one of three distinct and interdependent sectors of the US national space programs and capabilities. The other two areas are the Civil Space industry and the Commercial Space sector. The primary treaty that forms the basis of international law is the Outer Space Treaty, formally known as the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. Space situational awareness (SSA) involves characterizing the space capabilities operating within the terrestrial environment and the space domain.
