The evolution of the Space Force in an increasingly commercial space age

The U.S. Space Force is mandated to “organize, train and equip” forces to protect American interests in space. That sounds straightforward on paper. In practice, however, the very definition of those interests, and how best to defend them continues to be debated, especially as space is increasingly shaped by the private sector.

Space, unlike Earth-bound theaters of conflict, lacks borders or terrain. Power in space is asserted through satellites, sensors and signals. The challenge for the Space Force is to operate in this invisible battleground, where the line between war and peace is blurry and traditional military concepts like “territory” and “firepower” lose meaning.

In space, the weapon of choice might be a cyberattack on a satellite network, the disabling of critical GPS infrastructure, or the covert maneuvering of spacecraft to disrupt communications. But these actions are hard to classify as acts of war. How does one retaliate against the jamming of a satellite signal? Defining success or failure in space operations can be difficult without a clear enemy or physical front.

Adapting to changing domain

Amid these challenges, the Space Force is taking steps to adapt and “thrive in this new environment,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said in a keynote address at the recent Air Space & Cyber Conference.

“I know this change is hard, but it is vital because the domain is changing around us so quickly,” Saltzman said. “Our choices are either to keep moving or to get left behind.”

The Space Force’s journey to find its footing as it reaches its fifth anniversary is showing signs of maturity, particularly in its technological evolution and collaboration with private industry.

Josh Hartman, chief strategy and growth officer at the defense tech firm LightRidge Solutions and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for space and intelligence, said there are indications that the Space Force is maturing, particularly in how it is addressing the growing demands for space domain awareness and in its collaborative approach with the private sector to meet these challenges.

Building partnerships

Space domain awareness is an umbrella term for the ability to detect, track and understand activities in space. This awareness is increasingly vital as the United States seeks better intelligence on what rivals like Russia and China are doing in orbit.

Historically, the Space Force has relied on a collection of powerful sensors to monitor the thousands of objects in Earth’s orbit. These sensors provide valuable data, but as sophisticated as these sensors are, they have operated in silos. Their data is collected but not efficiently analyzed, leaving gaps in the military’s understanding of fast-evolving situations in orbit.

Hartman said he has noted a shift in how the Space Force approaches this problem. The service is currently conducting a comprehensive “force design” study to determine how best to integrate commercial and allied sensors into its existing infrastructure. Hartman said the industry eagerly anticipates this study’s results, which are expected to provide a clear roadmap for deeper collaboration between the military and private sector.

The service is also becoming more proactive in helping U.S. companies bring innovations to the international market, particularly as global demand for space defense systems rises.

Hartman said the Space Force has been instrumental in helping his company and others navigate the complex process of obtaining ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) licenses, which are necessary to export U.S.-developed technologies to allied nations. This kind of support has opened up new opportunities for American companies to supply advanced payloads and space technologies to foreign partners, he said, helping build a coalition of allies who can operate space defense systems that are interoperable with U.S. assets.

Looking ahead

In this sense, the Space Force is demonstrating that it is not just merely focused on launching and defending satellites but is also working to build an architecture to ensure space superiority through partnerships and technology sharing. This signals that the military’s newest branch is beginning to grasp the complexity of its role in an increasingly congested and contested domain.

This article first appeared in the ‘On National Security’ commentary feature in the October 2024 issue of SpaceNews Magazine.