In collaboration with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, the U.S. Military Academy took a stance to ensure that cadets gained situational awareness of the importance of space operations to push the Army toward this emerging domain.
The Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (PANE) hosted two iterations of the Army’s Space Cadre Basic Course (ASCBC) from June 1-25. Each iteration took two weeks to complete and provided essential tools for understanding fundamental aspects of space, the Army’s current and future role in it, and the space-based capabilities for allies as well as adversaries.
The subjects varied from the basics of orbital mechanics to tactics, techniques and procedures for operating within a congested and contested space environment.
“ASCBC was a wonderful experience as a future Army officer, and I highly recommend everybody to take this course,” said Class of 2021 Cadet Abigail Peterson, a Space Science major and an aspiring future Space Operations officer. “The space domain is continuously evolving, becoming more complex and dangerous, and we as an Army must be prepared and grow with it through courses like this one.”
As the world changes and new technological advancements are becoming increasingly available on a global scale, the Space Domain has become a subject of renewed scrutiny.
As stated in the 2020 Defense Space Strategy Summary, “The re-emergence of great power competition and a rapid expansion of allied, partner and commercial activities in space in recent years have drastically changed the character of the space domain.”
The report also highlighted the wealth of opportunities space would provide to restructure or create new partnerships with allies. Without question, the U.S. is at the forefront of creating a strategic space environment with the activation of the new branch, the U.S. Space Force, and the reactivation of the U.S. Space Command only two years ago.
Close to 80 cadets and a handful of faculty members graduated from ASCBC, earning the “3Y” Space Enabler Additional Skill Identifier (ASI). Cadets were selected from all majors across West Point to attend the ASCBC and qualified based on their military and physical scores and satisfactory completion of core physics.
Cadets completing the ASCBC and either the Space Science major or the Geospatial Information Sciences major with space coursework will earn the Basic Army Space Badge (BASB) upon graduation from West Point.
Army service members in a “3Y” space billet may receive the badge after one year in the position, and those in conducting space-related work may receive the badge after two years.
“West Point continues to pave the way in pre-commissioning space education for the Army, with support from the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense School and the Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence,” said Lt. Col. Diana Loucks, advanced physics program director for PANE and the current coordinator for the ASCBC at West Point. “Across the classes of 2020 through 2023, West Point will have produced over 140 commissioned officers who are now members of the growing population of Army Space Cadre with the ASI 3Y, and over 30 of these cadets and officers from West Point lead the way with the BASB proudly displayed on their uniforms.
“Moving forward, we hope to host two iterations of the ASCBC at West Point every summer — it is an exciting time for West Point, Army Space and for the Space Domain,” she added.
Learn more about opportunities through West Point’s Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering at bit.ly/WP_PANE.