The top general for the U.S. Space Force has issued a direct warning that the nation's ability to monitor objects in orbit is dangerously behind schedule. According to Gen. Chance Saltzman, the existing space surveillance network was not designed for the current era of orbital congestion and advanced threats from rival nations.
Speaking at a recent conference, Saltzman emphasized that delays in detecting and identifying orbital activities could leave critical U.S. satellites vulnerable to surprise attacks. This situation poses a significant risk to national security, as modern military operations rely heavily on space-based assets.
Key Takeaways
- Gen. Chance Saltzman stated U.S. space surveillance is too slow to counter modern threats from China and Russia.
- The current system, designed during the Cold War, struggles with the massive increase in satellites and debris.
- The Space Force is calling for a fundamental shift from basic cataloging to predictive analysis to prevent surprise attacks.
- A new strategy emphasizes deeper collaboration with commercial companies to accelerate technological adoption.
A System Built for a Different Era
The core of the issue, as outlined by Gen. Saltzman, is that America's space tracking infrastructure was developed during a time when space was a relatively peaceful and empty environment. Today, the orbital domain is crowded, contested, and considered a potential battlefield.
"Much of our SDA mission set was built for a different era, an era where space was not a warfighting domain," Saltzman explained at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference on September 17.
The explosive growth in commercial satellites, combined with the development of anti-satellite weapons by nations like China and Russia, has created a complex environment that the legacy systems struggle to manage. The Space Force maintains a detailed database of all known objects in orbit, known as the space catalog, but its update speed is a growing concern.
"We cannot be satisfied if it takes us hours to detect on-orbit activity, and we definitely cannot be satisfied if full characterization of on-orbit events takes weeks and months," Saltzman stated.
He added that these delays directly reduce what military officials call space domain awareness (SDA), which is the comprehensive understanding of all activities in Earth's orbit. Without timely and accurate SDA, protecting U.S. assets becomes nearly impossible.
The Need for Predictive Intelligence
Military leaders are increasingly vocal that simply cataloging objects is no longer sufficient. The current approach is seen as reactive, while the modern threat landscape demands a predictive capability to anticipate and counter hostile actions before they occur.
Gen. Saltzman's concerns align with those previously expressed by other senior officials, including former U.S. Space Command deputy commander Lt. Gen. John Shaw. The consensus is that the U.S. needs to move beyond incremental improvements to its existing processes.
What is Space Domain Awareness (SDA)?
SDA is the effective identification, characterization, and understanding of any factor associated with the space domain that could affect space operations. This includes monitoring active satellites, tracking orbital debris, and detecting potential threats like anti-satellite weapons. The goal is to maintain a clear and current picture of the orbital environment to ensure the safety and security of space assets.
"We need a more comprehensive program to avoid operational surprise, not just enhance ongoing efforts incrementally," Saltzman urged. "We need to solve SDA problems, not just improve SDA processes."
The stakes are incredibly high. The U.S. military is dependent on its satellite networks for a wide range of functions, including:
- Communications: Secure links for troops and command centers.
- Navigation: GPS for guiding personnel, vehicles, and precision munitions.
- Intelligence: Surveillance and reconnaissance from orbit.
A successful attack on these systems could severely disrupt U.S. military capabilities on a global scale.
Modernizing Key Surveillance Assets
The location of the AMOS conference in Maui was significant, as the island hosts one of the military's most important space surveillance facilities. The Maui Space Surveillance Complex, located atop the HaleakalΔ volcano, is operated by the U.S. Space Force 15th Space Surveillance Squadron.
The GEODSS Network
The Maui facility is home to one of only three operational Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) systems in the world. The other two are located in Socorro, New Mexico, and on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. These powerful telescopes are essential for tracking objects in high orbits.
Gen. Saltzman acknowledged the site's importance, calling it a "gem of the space community for decades." He also affirmed the Space Force's commitment to respecting the cultural and spiritual significance of the location.
Modernization efforts are already underway. A program called the Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS) is set to provide a major upgrade to the existing GEODSS technology. Additionally, the Space Force recently established a Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing (SDA TAP) Lab in Maui to speed up the development of new surveillance tools.
A New Push for Commercial Partnerships
A central theme of Gen. Saltzman's address was a renewed call for collaboration with the private sector. He acknowledged that the Space Force must move faster to integrate commercial innovations into its military operations, particularly in the critical area of space domain awareness.
"We need you, everyone in this room today, to help us turn commercial innovations into warfighting advantage," he told the audience of industry and academic professionals.
This represents a significant evolution in the Space Force's approach. In the past, the service has been criticized for being slow to adopt commercial technologies, often preferring to develop government-owned systems. Saltzman admitted his own previous hesitation, stating he wanted a clear strategic framework in place before accelerating partnerships.
"I believe... that we need to shift from a largely transactional relationship with industry to a much more collaborative partnership, and we know that this will require increased trust on both sides," he said.
That framework now exists. In April 2024, the Space Force published its first commercial space strategy, designed to streamline how it works with private companies. According to Saltzman, this strategy will "help structure conversations and point us in a common direction."
The ultimate goal is to achieve what he termed "decision quality understanding" of the space domain, moving beyond a simple collection of data from various sensors. "Our goal is to speed up adoption of commercial technology for our most critical military space missions," Saltzman concluded, "and space domain awareness is at the top of that list."