Maj. Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command’s 14th Air Force—provider of space assets to combatant commanders—reminded attendees Friday at AFA’s Los Angeles Space Symposium that US national security is “critically dependent on space.” Shelton said US enemies already have compromised our security in all four domains: air, land, space, and cyberspace. To defeat these security breaches, he said the US must start ensuring space situational awareness. And, according to Shelton, “We are going to spend quite a bit of money” to do so.
As Hurricane Melissa hammers the Caribbean, the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters” are busy flying into the massive Category 4 storm to collect atmospheric data—with one experiencing greater than expected turbulence Oct. 28.

