Gov’t Leaders Seek Declassification of US Space Programs

U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett is calling on the Trump administration to declassify military space program information to help drive support from the public and intimidate adversaries, Defense News reported Sunday. Barrett told attendees at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California that “there is much more classified than what needs to be” but declassification must also ensure that certain information remains secret. 

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., added that the overclassification of information has led to challenges in getting support from Congress and the public to create a Space Force.

“It’s not going to happen until they understand the threat and the dependence we have,” he said. “And I don’t think that can happen until we see significant declassification of what we’re doing in space and what China and Russia are doing, and how space is in their day to day lives.”

Barrett noted that the push for declassification will be a priority for her office moving forward.