ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The U.S. Space Force graduated 14 Guardians from its inaugural Regional Space Advisor Academics Course on June 18 at the Pentagon.
Established on April 11, 2024, the RSA program is the Space Force’s deliberate development initiative for international affairs and security cooperation skillsets within its cadre. It serves as a critical enabler of the Space Force’s International Partnership Strategy, which focuses on strengthening relationships, securing common interests, and promoting shared values in space with like-minded partners.
“The challenges we face are too vast for any single nation to manage alone,” said keynote speaker Jessica Powers, assistant deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs, and requirements. “This is exactly why the principle of ‘Partner to Win’ is not just a catchy slogan. It drives the core of our National Defense Strategy and is the reason RSAs are here today.”
Guardians with an enhanced understanding of the international security environment, as well as the programs and mechanisms available to strengthen partnerships in the space domain, are vital to the success of the Space Force. RSAs are board-selected and drawn from all Space Force career specialties. They are spacepower experts in their core discipline able to leverage international affairs and security cooperation skillsets in key international and partner-related positions throughout the service.
Instructed by the National Security Space Institute, the RSA Academics Course is a hybrid course, including approximately 40 hours of distance learning, followed by a 15-day in-residence session. Over the duration of the course, students receive instruction in topics to include international relations theory, strategic space threats, allies and partnership overview, regional challenges, and multinational organizations. The students also had an opportunity to participate in interagency engagements and networking with the Department of State and the Department of the Air Force, as well as air and space attachés from various partner nations.
For more information on the RSA program, please see Space Force Instruction 16-116, Regional Space Advisor Program. Additional context regarding the program's selection can be found here.