There are at least two lawmakers who believe America definitely has lost its space advantage. The Denver Post reports that Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) doesn’t think the American public “understands the importance of space.” Calvert was in Colorado Springs, Colo., to speak at the National Space Symposium, where he proclaimed, “Our competitors are literally breathing down our necks.” He was joined in that sentiment by Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), who told the symposium that the US must “find the sweet spot between collaborating and competing.”
The Air Force has spent more than two years studying cancer risks to Airmen who work with the service's intercontinental ballistic missiles. Now lawmakers in Congress are placing fresh scrutiny on the issue and have prepared legislation that would direct the service to clean silos and launch facilities.