The panel stressed the importance of maintaining domain awareness in space, especially in cislunar space, where many critical assets are located. They argued that the US needs to have superior domain awareness to avoid operational surprise from adversaries. They also highlighted the need for the US to achieve space superiority, not just resilience, to effectively deter adversaries and impose costs on them.

The panel expressed concern about China's ambitions in space, noting their pursuit of a "powerful and prosperous" nation, as articulated by President Xi Jinping. China has been developing a full suite of counter-space capabilities, including kinetic kill missiles, and has launched a permanent space station, "Tiangong." China's goal, according to the panel, is to establish control over key strategic parking spots in space, such as L-points, for navigation, positioning, and surveillance.

The panel praised the establishment of the US Space Force in 2019 as a significant step forward in addressing the growing space threat from China. They emphasized the importance of transitioning from a costly "legacy architecture" to a more distributed and resilient space posture. However, they expressed concern about budget cuts to the Space Force, arguing that now is not the time to decrease or flatten space budgets.

The panel emphasized the importance of space security and the need for the US to develop responsible counter-space capabilities to defend its assets and deter adversaries. They highlighted the growing threat from China's space-enabled military and the need for the US to be able to impose costs on adversaries who threaten its space capabilities.

The panel emphasized that the US needs to shift its focus from solely relying on resilience in space to also actively defending its assets. They argued that the US needs to be able to impose costs on adversaries who seek to disrupt or destroy its space capabilities. They also highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to deterring aggression in space, not just reacting to it.

The panel acknowledged the role of commercial space companies in driving innovation in the space domain. They highlighted the importance of a partnership between government and private industry to develop advanced technologies that can leapfrog China's capabilities. They expressed concern about China's attempts to acquire US technology through illegal means and the need to curtail such activities.

The panel underscored the need for robust international partnerships to counter China's growing space capabilities. They highlighted the importance of expanding partnerships beyond the Five Eyes, including with France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Norway, and India. Former NASA Administrator Bridenstine emphasized that NASA can be used as a tool of diplomacy, citing the Artemis Accords and the Apollo-Soyuz program as examples.

The panel discussed the importance of articulating a clear vision and narrative for the US space program to garner public support and resources. They argued that the US needs a "moonshot moment" to inspire the public and drive investment. They suggested that this could involve focusing on medical advances, exploring Mars, or harnessing the resources of the moon and near-Earth objects.

The panel discussed the importance of STEM education in fostering the next generation of space professionals. They noted the growing interest in STEM fields, particularly in space, and the potential for this to pay dividends for the nation in the years to come.

The panel highlighted the importance of low Earth orbit (LEO) for various space activities, including hypersonic threat detection and tracking. They noted that China is actively seeking to dominate LEO and is using illicit tactics to hinder US companies operating in this space. They emphasized the need for the US to invest in LEO capabilities, particularly in the defense sector, to counter this Chinese threat.

The panel stressed the importance of developing clear norms of behavior in space to prevent a chaotic and dangerous environment. They highlighted the need for the US to lead this effort, rather than allowing adversaries to dictate the rules of the game. They also noted the limitations of the Outer Space Treaty in addressing the evolving challenges of the space domain.

The panel discussed the need for a more streamlined and consistent approach to Congressional oversight of space programs. They argued that the current system of separate authorizations and appropriations committees is inefficient and can hinder long-term planning. They suggested that these committees could be combined into one, or that a subcommittee could be dedicated to space issues.

The panel argued that directed energy weapons are a key technology for countering space-based threats, including hypersonic missiles. They highlighted the advantages of directed energy weapons, such as their speed, unlimited ammunition, and dialable effects. They expressed concern about China's development of directed energy capabilities and the potential for a first strike capability against US assets in space.