Project Description
Responding to Evolving Space Risks
The current hotbed of space activity centers around low-Earth orbit (LEO). This region of space is full of satellites responsible for positioning, navigation, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for the U.S. These are vital tasks for maintaining U.S. security.
As other countries’ access to space increases, so are the measures that the U.S. will have to take to protect their various space assets. While some invest in anti-satellite measures and soft-kill strategies like laser dazzling, it becomes imperative to study and prepare against these potential threats. Wars on Earth are increasingly influenced by commercial spacecraft. The war in Ukraine and the heavy use of Starlink, GPS, and commercial imagery by a smaller power as they take on a larger foe is an emergent example of what we can expect to see in the future. The intel that space assets provide can clearly change the tide of war, making these spacecraft increasingly vulnerable targets in future wars.
