Reference no: EM133700789

Assignment:

Until recently, images from commercial satellites were considerably fuzzier and less detailed than those from military satellites. That is no longer the case. In 1994, the federal government lifted technical restrictions on private companies, permitting them to build a new generation of civilian "spy" satellites and to sell the images to any buyer. During the Iraq conflict, the U.S. military used private satellite images for strategic planning. Instead of doing their own research and development, the U.S. military is increasingly relying upon private companies for innovations in space and technology and satellite launches.

At the same time, the sharp visual detail and widespread availability of the images provided by the satellites have raised fears about national security. One of the chief concerns is that the images, which rival military reconnaissance in sharpness and accuracy, can be purchased by those who would threaten the national welfare. "Any time a powerful new technology is introduced, there's a battle over the use to which it's put. Here the potential for beneficial uses is very high in balance but the potential for abuse certainly exists and we'll not see some of that," one intelligence official noted.

Answer each of the following questions separately, numbering each of your answers to match the number of the question.

1. Do you think that the availability of new, detailed satellite images is a potential threat to national security?
2. Might access to images of their enemies make belligerent countries more dangerous than they already are? Why or Why not?
3. In what ways might access to satellite images stem the tides of environmental and social destabilization?
4. Should the federal government, which licenses the satellites, be allowed to exercise "shutter control," cutting off image sales during wartime? Defend your answer.