Space technologies.

• Position: NEXTMONTH - Brief article

* After some 50 years of launching large, complex, multi-million dollar spacecraft, the military and industry are rethinking the way satellites are built and acquired.

Large satellites aren't going away. But the need for systems that don't take a decade to develop and deliver, and can survive an attack, or be quickly replaced, is driving the trend toward smaller spacecraft. The "operationally responsive space" concept that calls for simpler and faster-to-orbit satellites will be...