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 U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.