U.S. Space Power and Alliance Dynamics in the Cold War

U.S. space power is anchored to terrestrial geography. In the Cold War, the United States depended on a global network of facilities to track and communicate with military, intelligence, and civilian satellites. But it was difficult to secure access to foreign territories that were in view of satellites and politically reliable. Drawing on declassified Australian, British, and U.S. documents, this article details how mitigating the political risks of political upheaval became a top U.S. foreign policy priority.