More About The Final Frontier: Explorers or Warriors? from Filmmakers Stephen Sotor & Trace Gaynor

On January 11, 2007 China launched a ground missile into space to destroy one of their old satellites, sending thousands of pieces of debris into space that could threaten other nations’ communication satellites, including those belonging to the United States.

People in favor of space weapons say such weapons are needed to protect the United States space satellites that provide many crucial military and civilian services. Those against the proliferation and use of space weapons warn that a new arms race will result if the United States moves ahead with experiments for space weapons. The Final Frontier: Explorers or Warriors? looks at both sides of the space weapons debate.

Many people believe that space weapons are the new arms race. The teen filmmakers learned about space weapons while doing research for their second film, Genie in a Bottle Unleashed, about the first atomic bombs. For this film, Stephen and Trace had the opportunity to interview Astronaut and Senator John Glenn, Theresa Hitchens, Director of the Center for Defense Information, and Dr. Everett Carl Dolman at the US Air Force’s School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS).