Coast Guard Support to Space Operations A sector commander’s roles and responsibilities—today and tomorrow by Cdr Jillian lamb Response Department Head Sector Jacksonville U.S. Coast Guard lCdr John dinino Supervisor Marine Safety Detachment Canaveral U.S. Coast Guard A lexander Hamilton and our first Congress could not have predicted how a small fleet of 10 cut- ters would eventually evolve into today’s Coast Guard. As our nation has changed, so too has the Coast Guard’s mission. This was never more evident than in the difficult days following September 11, 2001. Coast Guard women and men were among the first to respond, providing immediate assistance in the maritime evacu- ation of citizens; mobilizing security forces to harden critical infrastructure; integrating intelligence personnel with interagency partners; and providing onsite clean up expertise. This event fundamentally changed our organiza- tion, established comprehensive regulations for ships and facilities, and developed a robust, risk-based mari- time security approach. Amplified by the events of 9/11, port, waterway, and coastal security (PWCS) policy and regulation matured over the months, years—and now decades—into what guides us today. On June 1, 2022, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Linda L. Fagan, noted in the Commandant’s Intent that: Tomorrow looks dif- ferent. So will we. We will be a Coast Guard that generates sustained readiness, resilience, and capability in new ways to enhance our Nation’s maritime safety, lCdr steve dross Incident Management Chief Sector Jacksonville U.S. Coast Guard lt J.g. griffin terPstra Waterways Management Chief Sector Jacksonville U.S. Coast Guard security, and prosperity. Today, units across the Coast Guard are establishing a new paradigm for how the Coast Guard will support space operations, and, much like with PWCS, how field commanders and service leadership will direct a long- term, enterprise-wide approach. Informed by the Past, Poised for the Future Port security operations existed prior to September 11, 2001, however, globalization, advanced technology, and new threats required the Coast Guard to adapt. This same adaptability must now be applied to our space industry response. The Coast Guard has been support- ing government and military space flight since the incep- tion of the space program in the 1950s, and throughout NASA’s Space Shuttle program, which ended in 2011. However, the reemer- gence of the space race has brought novel technology, a rapid pace of change, and the inclusion of maritime elements that require the Coast Guard to develop a transparent, equitable, and repeatable governance process. America relies on a robust space program to fuel innovation, advance global interests, and pre- serve our military superiority. To meet these grow- ing demands, old and new spaceports regulated Regular access to space has been made possible through a rapidly growing space industry, supported by a number of federal launch ranges, stateowned spaceports, and privatelyowned launch sites. —Federal Aviation Administration 22 Proceedings Summer 2023
