This timely resource provides a history of the development of space weapons and warfare strategies and a comprehensive reference guide to the growing literature on the subject. Space Warfare and Defense: A Historical Encyclopedia and Research Guide provides comprehensive coverage of the development of space as a possible arena for warfare, exploring the military uses of space—past, present, and future—and specific details of actual space weapons systems. The encyclopedia spans the breadth of U.S. military space policy; comparable programs in the Soviet Union, China, and the European Union; and the full array of international agreements designed to regulate the military uses of space. In addition, the encyclopedia includes an extensive reference guide (nearly 40 percent of the book) directing readers to the essential literature on space weapons and defense systems produced by the United States, other governments, research institutions, and additional sources. At a time when space is becoming an increasingly important place of military competition and potential conflict, Space Warfare and Defense dispels the myths and examines the realities of what may become humanity's ultimate battlefield.

"Four essays ... analyze broad trends in Chinese military modernization. While they treat strategic capabilities ... the essays analyze considerably more. They look at the whole pattern of Chinese military modernization-- strategy, doctrine, information warfare, ground, naval and air forces. The essays come to ... much the same conclusion: that while the PLA ... is acquiring "pockets" of modern capabilities through a variety of legal and illegal endeavors, these selective acquisitions do not offset the overall obsolescence of most of China's armed forces."

This book is all about the science of rockets. This will give you and overview of all things rockets. It also includes a comprehensive list of space stations, missions, etc.

Launch activities performed by private entities deal with a complex legal environment. The Space Treaties provide a general liability framework. Launch participants are subject to regulatory or institutional control, and to domestic liability laws. Specific contractual practice has developed due to insurance limitations, the inter-participants' waivers of liability and claims. This book synthesizes information on the norms of play, to allow the grasp of their relative weight and interactions in the assessment of liability risk for launch activities. It reveals a legal framework presently lacking sufficient predictability for an efficient liability risk management: the waivers of liability suffer weaknesses as do all such clauses, and lack uniformity and reliability; and the Space Treaties contain ambiguous terms preventing predictable determination of the States responsible for authorizing and supervising launch activities and for damage compensation, and do not reflect the liability of launch operators. This book offers suggestions of new approaches for: harmonizing waivers of liability to improve their consistency, validity and flow-down; and improving the Space Treaties for their implementation to non-governmental launch activities. In the launch community, the need for lawmaking is less compelling than in fields such as aviation. Nevertheless, adjustments to the present framework are proposed through model clauses and an international instrument, for further thinking and contribution by those sharing the opinion that creative lawmaking is needed now to prepare for tomorrow's endeavors.

"May 25, 1999--declassified, in part, pursuant to House Resolution 5, as amended, 106th Congress, 1st session"--Added title page.

Completely revised and updated, with more than 3,000 listings honoring a variety of cultural traditions, this authoritative, painstakingly researched compendium is one of the most-used references in libraries and schools nationwide.