05 April 2023
Opening Keynote
Gen B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations
USSF:
Thinks about warfighting all domain integrated, global, executing now, must now account threats… this shift necessitated creation of USSF…
Guardians brightest and boldest…USSF prime warfighting entity because of them. Threats are never able to undermine American prosperity and security. Space capabilities shape, modern way of war and broadly modern way of life
USSF develops trains guardians, designs and acquires space systems and develops systems for joint force…rapidly developing resilient space order of battle, [so] less vulnerable to attack and also help joint efforts.
Space Environment:
Safe, secure, and stable space domain. To achieve the goal to account for dramatically increasing objects on orbit. In 2022, conducted a record of 177 launches, 31% increase…while cooperative active payloads are management, these numbers also include uncooperative payloads and debris, further congest complicate understanding of the environment….Proliferated satellites, growing active payloads in orbit, 31 deployed satellites for mega constellations, 51% increase…ISS…has had 233% increase from previous year, in reported close events. Increase largely due to Russian anti-satellite test in November 2021..
China and Russia:
Contested domain. China pacing set of challenges. USSF must maintain tech advantage…Russia still is a threat. Range of operational capabilities including terrestrial laser, EW sensors, anti-satellite missiles. Shown no qualms about testing these systems. Have every intention of using counterspace weapons in conflict. Cyber attacks, persistent SATCOM and GPS jamming. Both using space for military purposes….Chinese Kill webs, long range precision guidance attack. Russia adapts and use commercial ISR systems.
Creation of USSF:
In response to rising security threats, congress established USSF…1) most protect US Space capes 2) must defend joint force and nation from space attack…Space superiority requires specialization, why USSF…
CSO Lines of Effort:
To achieve outcome prioritize three items: 1) field combat ready forces 2) amplify guardian spirt 3) partner to win.
Field Combat Ready Forces:
Provide forces personnel partnerships required for USSF to enable US space priority.
Field resilient forces, ready force training in tactics, operations, and concepts required…combat critical force demonstrated ability to execute and sustain operations in face of adversary. Space force must be resilient, ready, and combat credible to defeat enemies…
Field Combat Ready Forces: SWAC
SWAC providing modeling informed by extensive wargaming and prototyping. Analysis must field resilient and effective architecture. Emphasize cyber security start with building threat and network in design…eliminate legacy IT infrastrucutre to reduce cyber vulnerabilities.
Field Combat Ready Forces: SDA (Space Development Agency)
Satellite constellations shifting more proliferated, resilient…Space Development Agency from development to first launch. Begins to build out transport and tracking layers. Order to orbit, approximately 27 months…extremely fast.
Field Combat Ready Forces: Organizational Constructs
Experimenting organizational constructs. Tighter connections between operations and acquisitions. Example of 15th Space working with research and development at AFRL. Combination accelerates technological transfer from experiments to warfighters.
Field Combat Ready Forces: OTTI (Operational Test and Training Infrastructure)
Combat ready forces, train like we fight. New modern infrastrucutre to train guardians. Fielding OTTI, will enable guardians to build readiness. Must be able to execute missions to hone operator skills. Investing in new operational opportunities, SPACEFLAG, guardian training…Account for real world adversaries. Creating force ready for emerging threats.
Amplify Guardian Spirit
To unleash spirit of creativity, determination of talented workforce. Requires space force to continue to embrace modern processes. Need to recruit, but also retain to empower guardians to proceed. Focus selecting the right people… Critical in solving complex problems. Innovative requirement process. Digital recruiting efforts. Training educational opportunities as well. Key fields recruiting professionals with experience and bringing them into USSF at appropriate grade…
Developing space centric curriculum, guardians are prepared...
Amplify Guardian Spirit: Reserves
Our effort to integrate USSF reserve personnel, with congressional support will integrate reserve and active as one component. Strengthen recruiting/retention while providing unique flexible career paths.
Partner to Win:
3rd priority. Strengthen partners…deep relationship with USAF. Focus on key mission areas. AFRL critical partners in researching and developing cutting space craft, power collection, GPS, data collection,… USSPACECOM, another example, joint relationship, in terms of weapon systems, personnel, required to accomplish military objectives…guardians indispensable parts of military operations by every operational command…USSF Korea, space force, training exercise international security . Strong relationships with COCOMs critical to success…
Partner to Win: Campaign Support Plan
Campaign support plan details how space force will expand and maintain partnerships. Prioritize resource capabilities…Space Adviser program to develop guardians and establish.
Space training and readiness, with allies and partners. STR personnel in over 50 countries. Coalition council component, of Schriever Wargame…contributed above unclassified levels. Share challenges, meaningful dialogue.
Partner to Win: SPACEFLAG
SPACEFLAG exercise, Tactical level training in virtual battlefield, 165 participants, partners Canada Australia, and United Kingdom. Expand opportunities, to allies/partners collectively train together.
Partner to Win: Beyond Training
Maintaining advantage beyond training, cooperative command. Deploying US payloads on…Japanese satellites. Distribute cost and improve coverage. 200 million sales cases, with 50 countries; [including] training, professional military education, and others.
Partner to Win: IC, NRO, NASA
Space power is whole government endeavor, vital interagency. Relationship with IC. Important connections with NRO. Growing relationship with NASA, human space flight and space exploration, Department of Commerce to support commercial with their transition. USSF continues to collaborate with Department of State…
Partner to Win: Commercial
Build and strengthen partnerships with commercial first and foremost…From start-ups to small to large defense contractors. To exploit what we have, buy what we can, and only build what we want. Mechanism to compete, but also maintain mechanism for assured, long…compete when ready, for DoD more commercial like mission. Training industry, reverse industry days. Commercial services are increasingly growing in Advanced propulsion, AI/ML…Emerging services, more commercial of the shelf capes, through the commercial services office.
Closing Comments:
Lived era increased congestion, competition, USSF premier military space organization in world. Evolve force design informed by analysis warfighting concepts, via new OTTI to validate tactics and train guardians… Our guardians will outwork out innovate and out compete adversaries to make sure we succeed.
Audience Q and A:
On Joint Space Capabilities:
Q: Integrate Joint Space Capabilities Advice?
Gen Saltzman: Going to be a balance, Space critical to all warfighting. All services leverage to do their capabilities to do as much as possible. Balance on other side is how to spend resources in most efficient and effective way as positive. Advantages to consolidate or keep separate. Good processes, asking questions to make sure get balance right.
On Ground Infrastructure:
Q: Ground Resources, didn’t get resources really needed [in the past], additional emphasizes upgraded ground systems, elaborate?
Gen Saltzman: Make sure space systems, are linked to ground systems. Philosophy in the past said decouple capabilities and procure on different timeline to achieve effectiveness. In end found that is not most successful way. Calvelli thinks about end-to-end capability. Support is not equally effective, when on orbit capability. The program includes ground nodes, networks, and then on orbit structures for space systems. That mindset shift going to pay dividends.
On Guardian Thoughts:
Q: Talked congested environment, what questions get form speaking to Guardians, what really is the job of the USSF?
Gen Saltzman: [Guardians] Don’t frame it like that, don’t think in those terms. What they think is how do we accomplish this mission that has been given as it changes right from when it’s given. Graduated IQT(initial qualification training) a year ago, the nature of the problem has changed by a third (Space Domain Awareness as an example)…How can we inform the requirements to help keep pace.
On BMC3 Budget:
Q: Budget, Space BMC3, what are the top priority capabilities, timeline, priorities?
Gen Saltzman: Battle manage, command and control. Rapidly different concepts…Battle management is not something thought about in space perspective. Thought about in terms of anomalous resolution, now talking about warfighting timelines that are rapidly down.
Break down essence, multi-domain command and control effort…its gaining and maintains SSA, ability to make operational relevant decisions. Direct forces, in stressed contested environment. If can do those things have ability to Battle management…How much data can get in, AI/ML, just day to day operations. Focus area, ability to rapidly move data, and then contextually support for decision making.
On Supply Chain:
Q: Joint contested logistics, global supply chain, supply chain becoming operational issue in space/, how do you think about that?
Gen Saltzman: Conflict Eastern Europe, on paper capable force across border. Unable to sustain…if don’t take sustainment from that…lessons here, no question sustainment…space different character not moving gas over land. How have defined terms. What are specific sustained requirements…Ability to rapidly change the software supporting, pulling new data feeds, contextualizing…that’s not software acquisition, that’s maintenance of current capability.
On Software accreditation:
Q: USSF improve dramatically in ability to acquire innovations…is software still a lot of challenges, in acquisition accreditation? Potential solutions?
Gen Saltzman: Two aspects to consider: 1) acquire software same way acquire hardware, say no that’s not best model 2) what’s different…what questions are we asking to allow software to be put on networks…Will say, first time, right questions being asked and fingers are being put in chest that own policies, to reviews the policies. Chaining policy and redefining what risk is and how do risk management as well as put software onto networks in secure safe stable way.
USSF in Shaping Norms of Behavior:
Q: Topic on International Norms of behavior, how do you see norms shaping USSF, what role USSF having to help build norms for Space?
Gen Saltzman: One word leadership. We have to lead effort. Activities pursing at scale ability to model that likeminded nations can’t. Important responsibility…Wrote responsible behaviors around think business should be done. Achieve more responsible ways to achieve objectives training, etc. Got to model behavior in space…Schriever Wargame. Other nations thinking though, back these responsible behaviors. Allows, once define what right looks like, rapidly determine what irresponsible…hold accountable actors responding in irresponsible ways. Coalition members, all saw value of that…positive step for maintain goal safe, sustainable, space domain.
On USSF and JADC2:
Q: JADC2, expand vision on USSF role or vision where see JADC2?
Gen Saltzman: Got to get to next level of detail. Key technology…everything department doing aligning with this is ABMS with transport layer…umbrella concept of JADC2…Going to work together as bring capabilities together…about our space domain awareness, fusion to support decision support tools. Moves data to where needs to be…
On Partners:
Q: Importance of partnership and success of Space Force?
Gen Saltzman: Absolutely, can’t do without good solid partners. What specifically…transitional commercial services provided, partnership develop collocation and mutually work on solution. A lot of different elements of what commercial can look like. Think more specifically about what’s inherently governmental, military functions, versus what we can with commercial industry [think about transactional vs. partnership].
[End Session]
A Mission to Protect and Defend Assets in Space Panel
Maj Gen David N. Miller, Director of Operations, Training and Force Development, USSPACECOM
Gen Kevin P. Chilton, USAF (Ret.)
Stacy Kubicek, Vice President & General Manager for Mission Solutions, Lockheed Martin
Moderator: Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.)
Moderated Q and A:
On Threats:
Q: What do you see as most serious threat?
Gen Miller: With USSPACECOMAND…two prong problem. All of us have mission to protect and defend joint force. Probably no single threat vector,…test demonstration and operational demonstration…The awareness of cyber threat vector…The EW threat vector…frankly plan with companies in detail with to make sure have ability to respond. Direct-Asset big concern, from destructive standpoint most concerning, reckless…Challenge talk about in sustainability of domain… [Debris] last for years on orbits, last for decades…Look at DIA security challenges 2022 report, very great discussion on treats….The threat from space, into and from space, have responsibility J3/Space Command, prepare for threats to the joint force…. People do not realize how fundamental integration is. Sized alliance of space capabilities there. Ability to mass deliver precision fires. Find targets before adversary finds you…none of that can be done without space…worry protected and defense US/allied commercial services systems.
Gen Chilton (Ret.): Threats to our space capabilities…go back Chinese 1990s study how fight wars…[PRC] sees communications capability of strategic level….[PRC] can’t take on US force on force. Operability…in conflict [PRC] would want to immediate blind US commanders, take away anything get from reconnaissance…would make them unable to communicate with tactical commanders. Blind and mute of US forces in operation (Pacific, extends to Hawaii)…Cyber is important, hard to test. Cyber will be used, but don’t think PRC will rely on them…I think more likely will break the American home (using cyber). Directed Energy…certainly can disrupt, can make things difficult in LEO.
On Countering Threats:
Q: How do we best counter the threat?
Gen Chilton (Ret.): practice with it
Gen Miller: Deterrence piece got to be thinking about.
On Space Situational Awareness:
Q: What are some of key areas need to focus in and resources on to realize in terms of Space Situational Awareness?
Gen Miller: Simple, Gen Dickinson, made number one priority for closing gaps…Network that we built …Based observations in the past and an uncertainty volume, because a lot can happen…have to look at 1) custody. We do not have level of custody need in order to provide level of accuracy indications warning, hostile intent, ultimately if needed ability to target. 2) capability. Optical and radar. Primary focus of network derived from…In place, to get information need…Optical signature or metric SOI data does not provide me capability that I need…improve capability there. 3) Capacity. In process of shifting from a permissive force design to a warfighting force design.. Was really based on efficiency. Decisions made…look at first Missile Warning architecture…have to be able to survive in conflict but also deliver intent…those three drive one thing 4) coherence in battle management.
Budget for Commercial:
Q: Budget, 18 million dollars for commercial space systems, data SDA?
Gen Miller: Absolutely rely on joint commercial and operations on USSPACECOMAND, integrated, many systems bring together. Best athlete competition, based off need have…using terrestrial based sensors, location does matter. Debris importance of capability to get after…get updates…able to measure those against what we have on classified realm...Coherence brings two together and also bring coherence of battel management not just what but so what…have to have system providing that on-orbit.
Software Solutions to Space Situational Awareness:
Q: SSA, got a lot of demands. Talk about software solutions? Challenges?
Ms. Kubicek: Data, got to be a holistic picture. Data is only as good as what can do with it…so software is critical component for that. There is so many ways…AI/ML cannot be underestimated…AI/ML critical component with human in loop. Resources are limited, allowing software to help do those things and get information to the warfighter quicker…when modernizing systems how can use predictive modeling. How can use software tools to help prepare warfighters.
Future Systems (Proliferation, Maneuverability):
Q: Proliferate, aggregate future systems…how aggregation and ability to maneuver deters?
Gen Chilton (Ret.): Aggregation and proliferation, deters strategy…Always good to be more expensive to defeat you than cheap…Part of deterrence strategy, but that deterrence strategy also need to have offensive threat…the adversary has to doubt can effectively take out all capability… Defeat there ability…believe that we will go after them and take it away from them…whether we will or not choice is up to President and others…
Gen Miller: Will be a US military response, not just a USSF response. Have to agree…Entire force and allies…SDA (Space Development Agency)tranche one…think good proliferate extent that demonstrate…regimes uncertain scale escalation…. Every COCOM had to show up regular what was and how integrate this. Partnerships being developed….getting after it transition permissive force design to a warfighting force design…
On Hardening Systems:
Q: What else should we be looking at, context of systems to harden as we look to prepare ourselves as go against the threat?
Ms. Kubicek: Importance of resilience in national space, pull on ground side. Focus, why need, several senior leaders bring this up…how protect resilience on ground. As continue to add things…needed air, land, sea, cyber. Everything is becoming a node on that network. How are we hardening these different pieces. Levels of cloud environments…if going to be able to trust the data. Going to be able to harden that…can’t always afford harden…prioritization as well as where and how…ground is critical component.
Gen Miller: Agree, ground component important…In ground talk about C2 center, 100% got to have the hardened. Risks must see, terminals and vulnerability they have. Can’t forget about joint force, pacing lead…never as quickly as want…have to have infrastrucutre want. Resilience…getting trained on capabilities…Developing TTPs, empower warfighters/guardians to talk to user and have accountability to partner protecting and defending. CSO develop OTTI for a reason…Shift rapidly…harden our warfighters and guardians...
Gen Chilton (Ret.): Ground infrastrucutre critical…where are we single stringed. How are we going to back up those capabilities... None of this matters, if service doesn’t value user equipment…flexible for changing software, change the crypto, that’s the responsibility for services. Have proper equipment for space capabilities.
Audience Q and A:
USSPACECOM and Partnerships:
Q: IS USSPACECOM today postured to protect commercial space systems?
Gen Miller: I know we are…Not only something got to prepare for, something we got to do…design to build in options and availability protection …path established for dedications and warning. Main venue is out CSPOC, looking to expand it…always be a role and necessity for us to have commercial partners. Crisis happens first time someone calls, get away from that …trying to build in more in terms of crisis so ensure that partnership, intellect operational concept of development.
Ms. Kubicek: As industry take a step back and see where can we help. how can we harden systems help provide intelligence, meet have way. Innovate ways to assert these assets and capabilities, two-way streak.
Gen Miller: Levels of coordination that are important. Indications and warning of cyber concerns directly impact US government in many ways…Recognize opportunities early, bake in solutions so ready to go, don’t wait for price right…
Q: How are we deepening relations with other departments, Department of Space, space diplomacy…developments made by USSF in helping DOS?
Gen Chilton (Ret.): Department of State, sending a message; that diplomatic pressure matters. Some level of consensus on rules in the road. A really important way to help deterrence, by holding nations accountability.
Ms. Kubicek: Think about international peace as well.
Gen Miller: Behavior Secretory released last month good start, UN ambassador tracking personally… Teams nations and partners working through how to organize deliver capabilities…Space domain awareness capability. Got to work with NATO to get that done. I do think in place where, allies establishment services, battle wave forum likeminded nations, recognize importance, value order to preserve national…escalation management…
[End Session]
Space’s Role in North American Defense: Missile Warning and Tracking Panel
Lt Gen DeAnna M. Burt, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, USSF
Edward Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris
Tim Ryan, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence
Moderator: Lt Gen Joseph T. Guastella, Jr, USAF(Ret.), Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Moderated Q and A:
On Evolution of Missile Warning Architecture:
Q: Now must consider everything from hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, continued threat…evolving threats complicated ability to meet requirements. What’s the focus?
Gen Burt: Have to know what is target…what are going to do to make [ourselves] a hard target to try to evade…Where sensors are now really start to matter…matter on ground, matter in domain to get after this. Operational imperative 1, resilient capable space capabilities. Under that operational imperative, trauche 0 launch on Sunday. How do we get to proliferated architecture…how balance modernizing…through Secretary Kendall’s Operational Imperatives, use SDA (Space Development Agency) as exemplary moving forward…build resiliency across entire enterprise.
Mr. Zoiss: Resilient responsive systems…absolutely crystallized that systems have today are necessary but inadequate…holistic threats…where the launch from and trajectory. New maneuverable system is real concern…how hyper glide system can maneuver…
Mr. Ryan: Game changing…data going to get…completely different, sensors evolved, ton of data… Operators have to have better understanding of where they are at…now maneuvering through…that is absolute game changer…Have that to track all the way through.
On Joint Tactical Ground (JTAG)
Q: USSF assumed responsibility will assume responsibility Joint tactical ground (JTAG), forward deployed units that process and disseminate…support regional combatant commands?
Gen Burt: Brings whole missile warning family together, now in one house. What that means is when start to modernize the strategic side and theater side…can balance both sides. How does tactics and techniques share with strategic side. How do we make sure validating tactics, don’t slow innovation down and work to theater…Operations and strategic theater will be important. OCONUS, Japan, Qatar, Korea, Redstone Arsenal all locations where training is…how do we pair that with strategic capabilities.
Proliferation in Terms of Mission:
Q: USSF…more proliferated constellation. What will this look like Missile Warning and Missile Tracking?
Mr. Ryan: How SDA (Space Development Agency) is doing it, going to be across both LEO, MEO and GEO. Take that calculus and really make it difficult for enemy…be able to have any effect…still have capability if take out LEO…having defense and depth, better capability.
Gen Burt: Intellectually, have conversation, what do ASAT’s now mean…when pacing challenge is putting just as much on orbit, pushing past them and bringing on capability…is it of interest to factor LEO…tip and que assets. Starting to create a balance…not just depth, have a whole lot of things have to consider. “The missile now costs more than the satellite launching” Quote from Dr. Tournear…expect other non-kinetic things, jamming, blazing, cyber in particular…enemy is going to counter in those ways pose cost on them in a way they can afford.
Proliferated Enterprise:
Q: Other things move to proliferated enterprise? Change organizational trains?
Gen Burt: Much at strategic level, what is inherently governmental and what is not..and how oversight that mission set. Is that something model in all mission sets. What is that ratio on crew source… how separate, blue suit/civilian, resource. Fight tonight, have to have operators prepared threat ready…training on new systems…live virtual constructive training…delivered working closely with contractors…
Space Development Agency:
Q: Space Development Agency, disruptive?
Mr. Zoiss: Emphasis on acquiring capability… Prioritizing speed and technical capability delivering…ended up with different solution, not 18 years…ends up being a different model. Industry embracing the investments that comes with…now an ongoing marketplace…Trying to figure out if part of it or how win. From our perspective facilitating that…choose to invest algorithms and processing. Not designing our systems to last for ten years, because know it’s irrelevant…
Gen Burt: Trusted and disruptive…incredibly important, change culturally…not going to be perfect. How get to 75% solution is good enough, iterating on software together…see same advantage happen with Space Development Agency…every 18 months new capability…Software enabled ground system, satellite, receiver, crypto reprogrammable user defined…loop hard to break into…have to get to software defined, user enabled in every echelon of our business
Missile Defense Agency:
Q: What service also doing to provide information to Missile Defense Agency?
Gen Burt: OPIR, gets us started. …critical to them. Get to kill chain defensive capability. The more and more integrate…data is great, can’t be quickly put together for decision maker to execute…connect all assets into kill chain with MDA.
On USSF Training:
Q: Training, USSF prioritizes training? Giving operations tools?
Gen Burt: All warfighting domains have test ranges, training ranges. USSF needs the same. How do we get to LOE 1, deliver combat ready forces, OTTI. How do we deliver infrastructure. All of that comes together in training scenario and allow them to fight and validate tactics against thinking adversary …we as space force do not get to touch see feel effects of domain, do that digitally. Virtual training is going to be important and wargaming. Amplifying guardian ideal, teach missile command, do that on test ranges, let people to learn…accelerate capabilities and validate tactics.
On Integrated Missile Warning:
Q: USSF, stood up several USSF component commands…Integrated Missile Warning?
Mr. Ryan: What they are doing, completely integrated, into the COCOM’s planning cycle…USSF doesn’t get nearly as much credit, how well do these transfers in. Gen Burt, saw in SATCOM community, now all Missile Warning being done…Also took on interservice transfers sailors, soldiers, marines, means to be a guardian…JTAG now INDOPACOM…got COCOM…reach out and go to that unit.
Gen Burt: Evolution, normalizing…every service presents service components to COCOMS. Sizes of Joint Space Force staffs…Talk space with other coalition and allied partners…within COCOM…EUCOM on horizon, working hard next step to sign. Tighten relationship between Space, Cyber, and SOCOM…working mission analysis of what looks like…concern how much growth can we do…can’t grow to point that can’t execute…have right resources, right personnel all players to do mission.
Audience Q and A:
Working With Partners:
Q: Move forward in facility management systems, hard to go to market with some countries/allies?
Gen Burt: Variety of coalition partners and where they are in their journey…command Air and Space…Equivalent space command and what they are wanting to pursue…FMS is important part of security cooperation. INDOPACOM, and soon to be EUCOM to help with partners to start in working with partners. Have engaged with SAF/IA, priorities are and trying to match that up…Capabilities they already have….US selling things…something we can purchase from them…two way partnership in Space Domain, what can provide to them…continue to share data and break down barriers…connect centers together…CSPOC talks to UK, Australians, Space operations center…NATO space operations center…all things dialogue data sharing…all happening…take to next step. Engagement with USSPACECOM as well.
Resilience by 2026:
Q: Fight 2026, Resiliency.?
Gen Burt: All capabilities brought to test range, now have to honor, threat that has extended to our domain. How going to train operators, 1) Start look at commercial company 2) how do we do that too, how do we teach operators make themselves a hard target. Going to have to McGiver them… think about fighting differently. Never built for that…things can be done…think what can do with systems… teach operators to do on training complex…how much force presented to COCOMS…retain on orbit.. TTP, development and validation. Do I have test resources that are that replicating…do need to build infrastrucutre. Virtual and constructive, got to deliver faster…train the operators. Focused on Space operates, also the intel support and how talking about threat, do we have cyber operators defining the infrastructure. All those things have to play, combat squadron and combat delta…all of that has to get implemented in national space training…about halfway…whole lot of work to do.
[End]
Lunch Keynote
Dr. Derek Tournear, Director, Space Development Agency
On Tranche 0 Launch:
Excited for the launch of Tranche 0. This is a big deal…From orbit to launch number I’m going to give you is 30 months…this differs from 27 months that CSO says because I factor in SpaceX tracking from order to orbit …
Proud to report that as of Sunday, launch checked out.In communication with all 10 vehicles…now in process of completing full stages of testing and checkout for vehicles. Demonstrate Mesh/Link16,…In June will launch the remainder of tranche 0.
On Tranche 1:
Tranche 1 set to go out, soon quickly turn into 18 month cycle, with 150 satellites, and 12 launches…expect to do a launch a month. Tranche 1 will be regionally persistent power. Reason not globally persistent, is resources have to go through power cycles, so can only be on portions of the time. Can change the region as directed…
On Tranche 2:
Tranche 2, will be global and will go out in three different stages, A, B, Gamma. The Beta solicitation will be first and goes live next week. Involves tactical user solicitation. Then will release A, which involves transport layer, larger KA, processing and Link16…tranche 2, will also include tracking WFOV (Wide Field of View) constellation, gamma will include advanced waveforms.
Closed on actively battle management application. Build solicitation, specific asks. Continue to receive industry feedback…
Closing Comments:
USSF has been 100% behind, helping us be successful. All due to 1) Proliferation and 2) Spiral development. This is a useful model. Ready to push forward with Tranche 1 by 2025.
Will continue to push on support and engage with the press…as tranche 0 gets checked out.
Audience Q and A:
Technology In terms of Sensor Integration:
Q: How does the WFOV sensor Integrate? How is it going to work together (as part of Tranche 2)?
HBTSS (Hypersonic Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor) designs with sensitivity better than WFOV. Will allow us to calculate a fire control solution, provide a sensor data piece…WFOV has sensitivities for hypersonics, but may or may not be able to tell engage. This is where Medium Field of View, HBTSS design comes in. The WFOV, tells MFOW where to look, and then a fire control solution can be assisted.
On Size of Tranche 2:
Q: How many satellites are going to be in Tranche 2?
Estimated numbers Beta 72 satellites, Alpha=100 satellites, Gamma=44 satellites
Tracking not yet gone through warfighting council. So can’t give exact number, but think going to be on order of 54. Awards also TBD, but Beta likely 3 awards, 2 for alpha, and 2 for gamma.
On Continued Competition:
Q: Now started with provider two contracts in row, potential select someone, speak to competition?
Do not want vendor lock. Enforced standards, published optical communication standards. Laser comm matches standards…Do allow new entries. Fully open. Network standard is other one. [Industry] feels empowered this is a market $2 B year, $2 Billion for tracking market, $2 billion for transport market. Expect internal investments accordingly…to help push this forward…With every tranche, get more capabilities. Need industry to invest, partner with DoD, DARPA, AFRL.Differential put in business case. Look at data, tranche 0, 2 vendors York and Lockheed Martin, Tranche1 had 3 vendors, York, Lockheed Martin, and Northrup Grumman, if only two one of the incumbents would not have gotten the award, doesn’t mean guaranteed. Stay on 1)schedule, 2) price, and 3)performance. Changed paradigm…high value will be placed on past performance with Space Development Agency. New entries will be considered neutral.
On Integration with SSC:
Q: How are you integrating with existing architecture? Working with SSC architectures? Capabilities going to be ready for 2026 fight?
Yes, Tranche 1, expected 2025. Integrated capabilities, working with organizations in USSF. Tentative Plan, SDA will develop everything… in terms of 1)mission management, 2 network management, 3 satellite operations. Government owned contracted out, SDA responsibility. When blessed as operational, mission will transfer to SF SPOC. Resident SDA ops center/chain authority to SPOC, determine priorities/conjunctions in line with COCOM…
Additional Capabilities for Tranches:
Q: Tranches highly populated LEO constellations. [What capabilities are there to consider]?
Commercial satellites, ISR AR actually network. Leverage all commercial. Directly selling into transport, smaller affordable changing designs. SWAC, data transport design. Preview connectivity DoD tactical commercial backbone. Translators, act as a VPN…cyber aspects between 2…need a transport VPN. Builds trusted connection, resiliency, threats.
Common Mode Failures 1) cyber, constraints, robust cyber secure 2) supply chain, benign supply chain building industry but also introduction by nefarious actor into the supply chain…trusting the supply chain.
SDA and Launch:
Q: Space feedback on NSSL, is SDA going to use NSSL?
NSSL phase 3, worked closely with Gen Purdy on these requests. NSSL for phase 2, tranche 0 is commercial. Brought feedback to the team in terms of NSSL phase 3. Phase 3, does have SDA have what required to use in launch. Planning launches two years now a little different, phase 3 allows change… Phase 3 organized draft send inputs…Requirements suited phase 3, lane 1
[End Session]
A Vision for Proliferated Orbits and Small Satellites Panel
Brig Gen Timothy A. Sejba, Program Executive Officer, Space Systems Command
Col Eric Felt, Director of Space Architecture and Integration
Robert Atkin, Vice President of Asymmetric Systems Group, General Atomics-EMS
Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute SpacePower Advantage Center of Excellence
Moderator: Charles Chilton, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute SpacePower Advantage Center of Excellence
Moderated Q and A:
Expanding Small Satellite Capabilities:
Q: Is still a role for GEO constellations, is possibility for changing constellations into big capable, survivable targets?
Col Felt: From space acquisitions view, Kendall’s priorities are speed, resilience, and integration…Speed, small satellites faster to build because small. Can use commodity parts…ideally come off assembly line, commercial products, lower mission assurance posture…Tremendous benefit in the resilience, the big juicy targets become less juicy if have hybrid architecture…makes taking up GEO capability…Just having 100s of satellites, is tremendously more resilient. Element of Architecture at Leo, current USSF, will have an element at LEO, doesn’t mean only LEO. Last thing, is integration, small satellites more easily integrate with commercial, partners, integrate ground systems with space systems…
Mr. Atkin: The calculus has changed that we can integrate more of the capabilities…production capabilities there on small spacecraft…Spacecrafts…have role in GEO…launch, small much harder to see and target. Make problem set on the other side difficult.
Q: GEO satellites, designed with propulsion systems to station keep not to get out of way of threat, see potential of satellites to be able to maneuver by design?
Mr. Atkin: Thrusters that allow that are larger, benefit of smaller satellite, same thrusters that enable station keeping can use for maneuver…
On TAC-RS
Q: Launch, Responsive Launch, concept and topic of tactical responsive launch…How define TAC-RS and how do small satellites support mission?
Gen Sejba: Broaden the discussion, responsive launch been point discuss years…Really try to redefine responsive space…launch vehicles, ground systems ready to operate those, and launch systems put on orbit on space…Idea of plug and play capabilities and vision on where that go…What aspects of mission, think TAC-RS go after. Two specific areas…1)respond,…categorize SDA or space control. 2) is augment. How do we take/augment capabilities SATCOM or maybe tactical ISR. Two areas augmentation government, or especially commercial capabilities. Augment current architecture…heading right now. Three different ways can do that. 1) Exploit, Buy, Build; look at commercial…2) Do we actually build capability and have on reserve on the ground. Talking about small satellite capabilities at moments notice, as one of the potentials. 3) In some cases, maybe storing capability on orbit, is best way to respond to new capability…Operational demo, scheduled for early summer………
Commercial side again, testing out and proving many cases like things like JCO/Colorado Springs, credit card turn on data in hours…scenarios I played out of having small reserve on ground. Challenges how do we respond with threat immediately…on orbit gives us a lot of flexibility. As look at what production lines look today. If we need to be able to take a satellite bus, plug and play capabilities for payloads…number of payloads near production line qualities. See a range there. Challenge work through all processing required to launch and operated and driving all of the latency out of this process.
Mr. Galbreath: Augmentation, show force…mission assurance, not just resiliency, but also reconstitution. Decrease value of attacking assets in the first place…
Government and Small Satellites:
Q: Thoughts, what can government do to further cultivate sector of smaller satellites. Got to make a profit…how do you contract, how do you incentivize?
Mr. Atkins: Risk and security. Risk perspective… we need to move fast. Need more capability more quickly. Part of the problem is we need to be not afraid of failure…I have to plan for failure, failure in development sense... On Security side, computer systems, security clearances for people, those get tied to contracts…
Areas of Use for Small Satellites:
Q: Small satellites can support mission warning/mission tracking. Common operating pictures. Other national security uses for small satellites, USSF…Domain surveillance at GEO…thinking align of capabilities hold adversaries at risk. Small satellites provide ISR support, commanded and control tasks…?
Mr. Galbreath: Planning…proliferated constellation small satellites, wide area surveillance, via imagery. We can launch small satellites, to GEO as well….Small satellites, aren’t’ just in LEO and GEO…moon capstone…potential utility for small sats in every mission area.
Col Felt: Architecture that envision is a hybrid architecture. All of those things give us good attributes for an orbit…FY24 budget moving tracker indicator of options. Get after emerging mission areas support from space…one of important OIs…intentional move some missions to space…technology and cost structure see for launch /constellation…
On Policy Regarding Data Buys:
Q: Frustrations, only ones that will buy data is NSA…different requirements, different priorities. Different speed. Intelligence agencies. Who’s going to take them? National requirements? Or is theater commander turn to space force component… buying what you can…not hearing that USSF is buying it…policy fight looming, who’s going to control these assets…
Gen Sejba: Look at growing capabilities of commercial standpoint, SDA leveraging heavily. Seeing TAC-ISR side as well. Strong partnership purchasing leveraging data. AFRL looking at tying commercial capabilities together and have some means of going after and tasking them in time-relevant fashion. Again more capability on orbit at LEO, between national…how do we take advantage of that…all PEO’s SSC…to understand what service components need going forward…
Col Felt: Goal of USSF, work with intelligence community to make sure our needs get met. Those are all on table and being discussed, make sure that new capabilities put on space for DoD will meat needs. Concern is will be duplicative and not cost effective…if can get combined constellation, senior leaders for title 10 missions…senior leaders are talking them.
Chilton: Doesn’t matter who builds them, ISR space capabilities, satellites that he or she can task directly without going through process…national intelligence process..
Col Felt: Sensors in space becoming a commodity, becoming so proliferated. Are going to be enough sensors in space to support everyone’s needs, it’s just how we organize them most efficiently.
Audience Q and A:
On Space Combat Power:
Q: How USSF, SSC, HQ, space combat power?
Gen Sejab: Key to space superiority, is space domain awareness. From ground perspective, today’s systems capable. Based off of force design done by SWAC and SSDP. As field capabilities, also look at a lot of legacy capabilities. One of challenges have exquisite capability on ground, haven’t’ caught up with data transport…how do we modernize legacy capability have today. How do we use force design to look at a lot of the space capabilities that we seen. How does that inform potential kill chains. Have to start talking about threats face and how going to counter those…also got to bring down from SAP…don’t have to talk specific capabilities, do need to talk about process, and what that might look like…Other proliferation, battle management can’t control communications…everything just described tightly coupled between one and other…Natural synergy between these two portfolios from acquisition, engineering, and overall funding…The days delivering system…have to look at process, data flow, training, system to which system…play into kill chain. Part of larger space SSIO, integrate systems of systems across a lot of different space acquisition organizations.
Col Felt: Partnering SWAC, doing force designs in protect and defend…what they man protect own capabilities and defend our joint forces against any adversary threats…What is most effective ways…operations community tell how use Force design…at SQ buy what they tell us to buy…making sure capabilities are resilient and there when the warfighter needs them.
On Propulsion:
Q: Prospects nuclear thermal propulsion, operational removal satellites, enable quickly maneuver different orbits?
Mr. Galbreath: DARPA program to demonstrate this. USSF needs to look seriously at potential of propulsion…Need to maneuver frequently so adversary can never target you in the first place. Look at ability to create resilient architecture. A lot about…using nuclear propulsion use diverse orbits. Increase orbital resilience…power source…
Col Felt: Potentially disruptive technologies, speed, so harness power of potentially disruptive adversaries…
Mr. Chilton: Nuclear propulsion…directed energy areas we need to as a nation increase our investments in. Chinese field something in both areas, time is right to accelerate both technologies and get out in front of our adversaries.
[End]
Closing Keynote
Dr. Lisa A. Costa, SES, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), USSF
CTIO blends into CSO’s Efforts:
Focus operationalizing science and technology and getting it into the field….believe that Space is absolutely critical to ensuring the peace, security, and support to joint forces. CSO’s theory of victory…CSO’s level of efforts…office of CTIO blends into those theories.
Competitive Endurance:
Recently Gen Saltzman, theory of success, linchpin of that is competitive endurance. Three part. 1) Avoid operational surprise. We need exquisite space domain awareness. Interesting dichotomy talking about putting assets into space that are not exquisite…Have to understand that’s the environment…really good at understanding limitations.
2)negate first maneuver advantage…do that through resilience…exactly getting after in USSF. Focusing on resilience in hybrid nature. Old model everything exquisite very expensive. Really a combination of these models that is so important for us to sustain resilience.
3) the unsustainable environment. If have visible destruction in space, makes more hospital…want to avoid that in all costs.
On Theory, Not Laws:
Presented it as a theory, did not present it as laws. Whole idea, theory of victory is to instill debate, discussion, deliberation about what are we missing…you are the people to expect to be having this discussion as long as our guardians…
Not Idea Limited:
Right now, capacity limited but not idea limited. Where want to go, we have to choose wisely in terms of what we are going to prioritize, many things can do…What’s off the plate and what’s on the plate…will there be longer term investments (power capabilities…)…
CTIO and Theory of Victory:
CTIO office, organized around this theory of victory. Science technology and research director, conduct space features…we focus on what will the future of space look like. What does the future of space need to look like…Want to be very active in shaping the future that we want to see.
1)Maneuver advantage, CTIO two records focused digital innovation and modern infrastructure. With infrastructure compared infrastrucutre that is vital…non existing, but absolutely critical for us to be able to adopt capabilities and technologies.
2)Extending deterrence. CTIO, analytic and modeling support for the entire focus. Focused on deterrence and USSF for the future.
CSO Lines of Effort:
Levels of effort, not separate or apart from theory of victory….1) Fielding combat credible forces. Absolutely necessary for us to be able to train, equip, and present forces that are combat credible…speak joint language. 2) Amplifying guardian spirit, really about our culture. Everything that is positive about our USSF, and supporting them…do not have problem of recruitment in USSF. 3) Partnering to win…USSF built by congress, so must work. Don’t have a lot of the services…we must partner. Rely heavily on overseas, academia…Part of those partnerships is allied nations. Number of allied nations, we re working with our allies to help develop space programs…how we can help train our allied partners…so as start develop their space programs that there doing it in that professional way…
CTIO Office Focus on Digital Transformation:
CTIO office, focused on one thing and one thing only, digital transformation…not the only thing that focused on…Mission of CTIO “provide decision superiority and advantage through asymmetric effects…”…
ION and Enhanced UDL:
Helping combat ready forces with ION….Also Enhanced UDL…unified data library, and Space force…delivering digital services to combat ready forces. Starts out at SAP level…limited to SAP level…mission network that has to be operational. Very different from enterprise IT, mission effort. Certain thing that industry is sending, cannot operate on networks that we have today…commercial data.
1st Area of CTIO: ION
Our networks cannot support the amount and the AI processing required to determine what data is important to a user…ION dynamic cloud based, software defined network. Not just physical vertical, but functional…but now we need to integrate across enterprise data organizations with functions that represent…SSC, need to help them connect in high bandwidth high IO in low latency way…SWAC…need to be able to link them up to STARCOM…so they can provide model based systems engineering models, so training materials can be developed…so they can take training material and have guardians…translated to SPOC and operations…RFP next month to Focus on agnostic data transport and Highly resilient data transport with ION.
2nd Area of CTIO: Enhanced Data Library
Enhanced Data Library. Great initiative…when built it never designed to take on at scale data and be provided by commercial entities…built a series of requirements for enhanced UDL. That RFP is coming out early in 2024. Focus on that RFP will be on allowing us to have discoverability, accessibility., processing…exactly how going to run AI/deep learning algorithms without enabling entire force being able to do it instead of small enclaves.
3rd Area of CTIO: USSF
Space Force…Space Force smallest services with largest area of responsibility…more assets going up, need more exquisite Space Domain awareness…all integration of that information launches happening in brain…got to do this a different way. Meeting our guardians where they come to us from. Training job entire lifetime, need to be implementing…collaborative project with NASA on this…How do we immersivity engage them in environments…instead of thinking about old ways presenting flat data. Emphasize and understand in decision making…Don’t have infrastrucutre to run Space Force, that’s why ION. Important.
Relationship of All Three Projects:
These three projects is really like building a house. ION foundation…Now walls, now get into the enhanced UDL…now figuring out structure and wiring of the house…where does that data need to be delivered to. If think about USSF, appliances, layout…because that is what is going to allow individuals to understand the environment.
Amplify Guardian Spirit: Digital University
Digital university providing 30,000 classes now…digital engineer part…DU is long-term vision…all online learning, can get professional certifications and we can help them move a lot of those classes into professional degree seeking programs. DU important to let people be digitally fluent…everyone in USSF needs to be digitally fluent…need to know what buying, when go from acquisitions and move to training…
Amplify Guardian Spirit: Supra Coders
Supra coders, software also critical. Supra coders…have to assign a billet…send individual to highly immersive class away from your environment. Focused on learning different computers…three month internship…Z prefix…when its time for them to move on, we track that…the difference these coders are certified on systems that they are working on. They are space professionals, working in their team to identify pain points to their deltas. Put a solution into place, within hours or day…as opposed goring through requirements process…
Partner to Win:
Emersion challenges, SPWRX, AFWRX university conversion research, hypersonics challenge, power challenge. Focus on fact partnerships, we don’t need perfect. 60 or 70 percent solution is ok (except in NC3…)…
Five sciences and tech institutes…first one RFP went out on March 27…not just about academia…our SSTI’s require that there be more than one university and require that industry be involved…take IP put IT into products, and we can buy in.
Looking at space operations, advanced space power/propulsion/hybrid propulsion, advanced remote sensing technologies, cyber mission assurance and data trust. University taken IA and deep learning to look at imagery differently and put it all together…
Partner, looking to have capabilities put agility and on operationally relevant timelines. With industry, USSF will continue to partner, but even look for closer ties support what we have, buy what we can, only build what we have to.
Audience Q and A:
Enhanced UDL:
Q: General Miller, lack of capability, custody of satellites on orbit, particular those moving…need commands have, sounds like need have to fill with Unified Data Library…enhancements help problem
Enhanced UDL, will help, but only component of technologies that will be needed. Managing custody might need something like block change…other sorts of ability to understand movement in space…asset is asset that we. Movement around that asset. Enhanced UDL, help in terms…being understand more about the environment. Viable commercial data at speed and at scale…
ION:
Q: Most government networks can only run Microsoft products, do engineering/analytics…
Where ION going…high performance computing…not everyone has to have that from their desktop. Use ION to access resources, again where they decide…run algorithms at localized level and bringing back results is absolutely critical. Have to create ION in space as well. The amount of data, need to traverse space …where is our agnostic transport…layer transport…critical for us to branch out ION starting out at classified, expand from their. Providing access to individuals that need…not every guardian needs that, do need to access that high performing counting at speed to individual so able to comprehend that analysis. Networking really have to think about different layers. Strategic, operational, tactical levels of networking. Different requirements for each one of those…need new types of capabilities to be able to communicate joint forces…ION is not that…needs to feed that.
What more is needed:
Q: Seven years, to fully digitize USSF, is the money in budget to do that, more needed?
How much of the enterprise IT that we have to take and upgrade versus just greenfield…DoD not very good at taking things off list, really good at adding things list. No one is willing to rack and stack. Fundamentally believe, get ahead much quicker…if we don’t try to dig ourselves out of tech…moved to software defined everything and modern systems. Keep evolving over time.
[End]
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