---
title: "Report: First Mover Typology for the Space Domain (RAND 2023)"
id: 60821
type: "post"
slug: "report-first-mover-topology-for-the-space-domain-rand-2023"
author: "NSE"
published: "2023-07-27T23:12:22+00:00"
modified: "2023-07-28T00:29:40+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2023/07/27/report-first-mover-topology-for-the-space-domain-rand-2023/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2023/07/27/report-first-mover-topology-for-the-space-domain-rand-2023.md"
description: "The report discusses building a typology and definition of \"first mover advantage\" to support military space planning. This article provides a synopsis of the…"
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Industry Reports, Papers And E-books"
  - "Space Economy"
post_tag:
  - "China"
  - "Countermeasures"
  - "Employment"
  - "Military"
  - "Russia"
---

# Report: First Mover Typology for the Space Domain (RAND 2023)

### Synopsis

The report discusses building a typology and definition of “first mover advantage” to support military space planning. Key points:

- Proposes categorizing first moves into four types ranging from long-term to short-term: first to innovate/invest, first to reveal, first to maneuver, first to employ. Provides examples for each.
- Argues first mover advantage should be measured relative to expected outcome if potential first mover instead waited, which depends on adversary actions/responses.
- Advantage accrued from being first to innovate/invest can be transient as adversaries adapt. First to reveal can influence adversary investments but reveal enables countermeasures.
- First to maneuver can deter but may also be perceived as pre-positioning for attack. Implications of first to employ in space need further analysis.
- Adversary perceptions of US first moves need study. China less likely than Russia to take escalatory first action given growing dependence on space.
- Report provides foundation for more analysis on first mover advantage concepts, including generalizable findings across domains and implications of first employment in space.