The Pentagon's Space Wants

The U. S. military is pushing the development of space planes and reusable rocket boosters.  The Pentagon, of course, is tasked with defending the nation (as well as other nations) and U. S. interests and U. S. citizens around the world.  To meet those responsibilities, the rapid projection of force can be necessary, which is one place space planes come in.  Such vehicles could allow deployment of Marines anywhere on Earth within a half hour, for example.  Satellites are also increasingly critical to both U. S. security and the American economy, and thus need defending.

Of course, given federal budget woes, funding the development of such vehicles is problematical.  The Pentagon, therefore, is encouraging private efforts to develop such capabilities.  Perhaps also to push the necessary technology along, DARPA-- the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-- is supporting a long term, private effort aiming at building a human starship within a century.