U.S. Space Force Rushes to Upgrade Space Surveillance Capabilities
The U.S. Space Force is racing to upgrade its space surveillance capabilities, warns Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations. Outdated systems struggle to keep pace with the booming number of satellites and emerging threats.
Current detection times for on-orbit activity are too slow, posing a significant risk to U.S. military capabilities. The Space Force is modernizing the Maui complex with programs like the Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS) and establishing Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing (SDA TAP) Labs. However, the space catalog, a comprehensive database of all known objects in Earth's orbit, is facing growing challenges due to the rapidly changing space environment.
The Space Force is also enhancing its space surveillance capabilities by introducing the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS). Gen. Saltzman calls for deeper collaboration with the private sector to turn commercial innovations into a warfighting advantage, shifting from a transactional relationship to a more collaborative partnership. The Pentagon is preparing for potential conflicts where space assets could be primary targets, driving the need for fast threat detection and comprehensive space surveillance capabilities.
The U.S. Space Force is committed to improving its space domain awareness. It aims to increase manpower, update training, enhance tools, rewrite policies, and better leverage domain data. By modernizing its Maui complex and fostering industry partnerships, the Space Force seeks to stay ahead of the growing challenges in the space domain.
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