In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. Gavin Newsom of California requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires. The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials like Governor Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access.

Source: New York Times September 27, 2021 15:35 UTC