In space security literature, hedging means what?

• A. Posturing only space-based weapons.
• B. A strategy to preserve security by developing a diverse set of capabilities across multiple domains.
• C. Basing all defense on terrestrial sensors.
• D. Prohibiting any space development.

Answer: (B)

Hedging is a risk-management approach that aims to preserve security by building a flexible, diversified mix of capabilities across multiple domains. Rather than relying on a single path or domain, hedging recognizes uncertainty about future threats, technology, and strategic environments. By developing capabilities that span space, air, land, sea, cyber, and allied networks, a state can adapt to a range of scenarios—such as space asset disruption, jamming, or advances by adversaries—while maintaining deterrence and resilience. This diversified portfolio reduces the risk that a single vulnerability can undermine security.

The best answer captures this idea of maintaining security through a diverse set of capabilities across multiple domains. The other options miss that breadth: focusing only on space-based weapons is too narrow, relying solely on terrestrial sensors ignores cross-domain redundancy and sensing, and prohibiting space development removes the very flexibility hedging seeks to achieve.