The Department of Defense will conduct a study of space-based ballistic missile defense starting in Fiscal 2009 based on a $5 million earmark included in the defense appropriations bill that President Bush signed into law Sept. 30. The Washington Times reported yesterday that the tucked-away appropriation for this research represents the first time in three years that money made it into the final version of the defense spending bill after two successive years when Pentagon requests for $10 million were squelched. The topic of space-based BMD is always a controversial topic, even on Capitol Hill, with some circles accusing the US military of escalating the weaponization of space by promoting it. Conversely supporters contend that space-based defenses ultimately make the most sense for countering longer range missile threats.
A Golden Dome task force established under U.S. Northern Command earlier this year has a broad remit, which includes fielding the capability to defend the U.S. against missile and drone attacks, its leaders said this week. Some of the primary focuses right now are ensuring Golden Dome can defend itself…