Obama and the X-37 space plane
The Union of Concerned Scientists is, well, concerned about the Obama administration's space policies:
'â??As space gets more crowded, risks to satellites are growing,â? said UCS Global Security Program Senior Scientist Laura Grego, one of the reportâ??s authors. â??And increasingly, insecurity about space activities and the motives behind them are creating friction among spacefaring countries. Unfortunately, the response from the international community, including the United States, has been inadequate. If the Obama administration adopted our recommendations, it could help defuse these tensions and ensure a more secure future in space.â?Â'
As David Axe explains, one of the key sources of "friction" is the Air Force's X-37 "space plane" - an unmanned, stealthy vehicle currently orbiting the Earth.