The United States Space Command is preparing for a second collaborative space domain awareness mission with France, building on a series of joint operations with key allies. This initiative marks a strategic shift towards more active international cooperation in monitoring activities in Earth's orbit, according to a senior Space Force official.
The plan was announced by Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess at the annual Air and Space Forces Association conference. This development follows a recently completed mission with the United Kingdom and signals a move by the U.S. and its partners to enhance their collective ability to track objects and ensure safety in space.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) is planning a second joint space awareness mission with France.
- The mission follows a similar successful operation conducted with the United Kingdom.
- These collaborations are part of Operation Olympic Defender, a multinational effort to improve space security.
- The initiative reflects a broader strategy to move from joint planning to active, combined space operations.
Expanding International Space Partnerships
U.S. Space Command is deepening its operational ties with allied nations by planning another joint mission with France. Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, who leads both the U.S. Space Forces-Space and SPACECOM's Combined Joint Forces Space Component Command, confirmed the upcoming collaboration.
Speaking to reporters, Schiess noted that early discussions are also underway for similar missions with other allied partners. "We’re not in the planning phase for [any new missions beyond that with France], but I can see that that there will be others," he stated.
Operation Olympic Defender
This multinational group serves as a combined space operations planning cell. Its members include the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The focus is on optimizing space operations, enhancing the resilience of space systems, and reducing the spread of orbital debris.
The recent mission with UK Space Command, announced on September 18, involved a rendezvous and proximity operation (RPO). During this demonstration, a U.S. satellite was repositioned to inspect a U.K. satellite, confirming its normal operation in orbit. A similar RPO mission was conducted with France around December of last year.
A Shift from Planning to Operations
The move towards more frequent joint missions is driven by a directive from SPACECOM Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting. According to Schiess, Gen. Whiting has been advocating for the alliance to move "beyond just planning and working together" and into conducting tangible, combined operations.
This strategic shift aims to strengthen deterrence against hostile actions in space and improve overall mission assurance for allied assets. By actively working together in orbit, the participating nations can synchronize their efforts more effectively than through planning exercises alone.
"The goal is to optimize space operations, improve mission assurance, enhance resilience of space-based systems, synchronize efforts to strengthen deterrence against hostile actors and reduce the spread of debris orbiting the Earth," according to a SPACECOM fact sheet on Operation Olympic Defender.
These operations provide practical experience in coordinating command and control across different national agencies, a critical capability in the increasingly complex space environment.
Technical Aspects of the Missions
The missions with both the U.K. and France involved rendezvous and proximity operations, or RPOs. These are sophisticated maneuvers where one satellite approaches another to perform inspections, servicing, or other close-up tasks. These operations took place in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) where many critical communication and surveillance satellites operate.
While officials did not specify which U.S. satellites were used, the Space Force operates the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) constellation. These satellites are designed specifically to monitor other objects in GEO, acting as a form of "neighborhood watch" in space.
U.S. Space Surveillance Assets
The GSSAP system provides the U.S. military with the ability to track and characterize objects in geosynchronous orbit. The Space Force has also experimented with RPO capabilities in low Earth orbit through its Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program, including the Victus series of satellites.
The precise timing and nature of the upcoming second mission with France are still under discussion as the two nations finalize the plans. These collaborations leverage the unique capabilities of each partner nation.
Allied Contributions to Space Awareness
France has been actively developing its own space surveillance capabilities, making it a valuable partner in these joint efforts. The French government is working on small satellites for GEO surveillance through its experimental Yoda program. This initiative aims to demonstrate the ability of nanosatellites to patrol GEO and identify potential threats.
Furthermore, France’s Space Command has invested in commercial partnerships to bolster its sovereign capabilities. In August, it signed a significant agreement with the company Infinite Orbits.
- Contract Value: 50 million Euro (approximately $58 million)
- Mission Name: Paladin
- Objective: A micro-satellite mission in GEO for surveillance.
- Launch Target: 2027
These national programs, combined with collaborative missions under Operation Olympic Defender, demonstrate a growing international commitment to maintaining security and stability in space. As more nations and commercial entities operate in orbit, such cooperative monitoring is becoming increasingly essential.