Last week, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) released the much-anticipated “Commercial Space Strategy”—the first such strategy released by the USSF—which commits to realigning funding and prioritizing commercial space opportunities. Details from the USSF CSS are available here. 

Space Force lays out eight areas where it wants commercial firms to help out

“Understanding…the price/performance equation of satellite costs is crucial for the advancement and sustainability of space exploration.” – OODAcon 2023, “The Space Economy: Opportunities and Risks“

Breaking Defense summarized the report.  Specifically, the ” eight broad mission areas considered for commercial support, each with specific capabilities being targeted:

Satellite Communications (SATCOM): Specifically, the Space Force seeks capabilities from the commercial sector that “increase and/or improve data transport speed, capacity, agility, flexibility, reliability, and/or resiliency and incorporate emerging technologies for the Joint Force to maintain competitive endurance.” Priority will be given to system agnostic capabilities so that they can more quickly integrate into their platforms.  

Space Domain Awareness (SDA): SDA is the basic mission of knowing what is in the heavens and where. The Space Force wants capabilities that can “contribute to the holistic generation of SDA.”

Space Access, Mobility, and Logistics (SAML): This mission area covers launch and support for launch. While the US government is already a major buyer of launch services, Space Force is interested in commercial capabilities, including “launch services, flexible launch options, in-space servicing, and tactically responsive space capabilities that the Service can test, experiment with, and integrate into future missions.”

Tactical, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT): Space Force’s new branding for the classic Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) acronym. The military branch seeks “broad surveillance services, planning products, data, transmission and fusion, and analytic capabilities from the commercial sector that can aid in the development and optimization of TacSRT functions in support of services and Combatant Commander objectives.” The language says “the USSF will continue to partner with the Intelligence Community to leverage existing capabilities where appropriate to ensure there is not duplicative effort” — a notable callout, given Breaking Defense’s previous reporting on clashes between Space Force and the IC over imaging.  

Space-based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) covers meteorological and oceanographic information, which is vital for Pentagon planners. Space Force wants “environmental monitoring capabilities from the commercial sector to characterize both terrestrial (via space-based sensing) and space environments (via both terrestrial and space-based sensing) to improve the resilience of terrestrial and space environmental monitoring architectures; inform Joint warfighter operational planners and decision makers; and improve the resilience of military systems to deliver warfighting effects and avoid operational surprises.”

Cyberspace Operations: A “foundational requirement” for space operations, this broad area is largely about protecting US assets in orbit and on the ground. From the commercial sector, the Space Force wants the ability to provide mission assurance across all the parts of its communications chain. “This requires bold changes and technology development consistent with the DoD Zero Trust Framework and DoD Data, Analytics, and AI Adoption Strategy. The USSF seeks enduring partnerships and capabilities to enable a future of improved awareness and protection of the cyberspace domain with Allies and partners.”

Command and Control (C2): Every part of the DoD has a core mission of ensuring C2 stability. The Space Force seeks capabilities from the commercial sector that increase C2 capacity and capability. The USSF will prioritize capabilities with dynamic technology (e.g., multi-band).

Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT): Most Pentagon systems require PNT—the ability to know exactly where and when you are—to operate correctly. Space Force wants “PNT capabilities from the commercial sector to enable operational resilience across the Joint Force and our Allies and partners. The USSF will test and evaluate these capabilities to inform operational utilization across the spectrum of conflict.”

The report identifies four priority areas:

• Tactical, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT); 
• Space-based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM); 
• Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT); and
• Space Access, Mobility, and Logistics (SAML)

The four priority areas send a demand signal to the industry that the Space Force is serious about this realignment and prioritization of commercial space efforts.   The inclusion of PNT in the priority list is somewhat curious, given that the DoD commercial policy characterizes PNT as a mission that the Pentagon would be extremely cautious about turning over to industry.” 

What Next for the USSF Commercial Space Strategy? 

“The challenge…is….after the government fields early capabilities and gets things off the ground, how best to leverage the private sector to figure out commercial models.” – OODAcon 2023, “The Space Economy: Opportunities and Risks“

Also, from Breaking Defense: 

• The language [from the strategy document] seems to include a pledge to put real money behind this effort, a long-standing complaint from commercial firms who feel DoD says all the right things but doesn’t put its budget behind it.
• “Current funding levels and annual budgeting requests must evolve to achieve the desired end states,” reads the report. “As hybrid architectures are integrated into USSF force designs, budgets will be realigned and reprioritized to fully support their fielding. Likewise, as the Commercial Space Strategy (CSS) matures, the USSF will make any necessary organizational adjustments to leverage the operational benefits gained by hybrid architectures fully.”
• That said, the Space Force’s fiscal 2025 budget request does not include money for a new commercial space funding pot. 

From the CSS: Four Key Lines of Effort (LOEs) Moving Forward – with Immediate Goals 

“…the value lost by not innovating in space is multi-faceted and can affect various aspects of scientific, economic, and technological advancement.” – – OODAcon 2023, “The Space Economy: Opportunities and Risks”  

The U SSF’s approach involves maximizing the benefits of integrating commercial space solutions through four key LOEs, each with specific goals and actions to enable commercial integration within USSF space architectures: 

LOE #1 – Collaborative Transparency seeks commercial space solutions to enhance integrated deterrence. This involves fielding diverse, resilient satellite constellations and distributed space architectures. The USSF aims to expand and integrate commercial space solutions effectively by collaborating with the commercial sector. Understanding the innovative culture and shorter development timelines of the commercial sector will help the USSF enhance its competitive advantage in space operations.  When considering commercial space solutions, the strategy emphasizes responsible conduct, legal compliance, and alignment with international norms and standards. 

The Immediate Goal:  To enhance awareness of commercial space solutions, understand market trends, identify capabilities for integration into space architectures, and mitigate barriers to collaboration.  Additionally, the USSF will collaborate with Allies, partners, industry, and global commercial stakeholders to maximize the benefits of integrating commercial space solutions and align with responsible conduct principles. 

LOE #2 – Operational and Technical Integration aims to integrate commercial space solutions into a hybrid space architecture by developing policies and procedures for data and hardware integration with the commercial sector. This integration requires unity of effort between the USSF and the Joint Force during missions involving hybrid architectures. The USSF will collaborate with commercial entities to identify risks and support risk mitigation, ensuring the availability of capabilities when needed, even in wartime. Of the four key Lines of Effort (LOEs), LOE #2 focuses on operational and technical integration of commercial space solutions within USSF architecture. Moreover, the USSF will clarify the roles and responsibilities of commercially focused organizations within its structure, supporting the operational integration process. 

The Immediate Goal: To operationally integrate commercial space solutions into a hybrid space architecture.  This involves developing policies, processes, and procedures for commercial sector integration with the USSF, requiring unity of effort during missions involving hybrid architectures. The strategy’s success hinges on effective engagement and collaboration across various stakeholders to secure necessary resources and support.  

LOE #3 – Risk Management emphasizes the inherent risks companies must consider when supporting military operations. The USSF will assist commercial companies in identifying and mitigating risks to ensure the availability of capabilities when needed, particularly in wartime. The strategy highlights the importance of responsible conduct, ensuring that solutions are legally and ethically compliant and align with international norms and standards. This risk management approach seeks to maximize the benefits of integrating commercial space solutions and the enablement of commercial integration within USSF space architectures. 

The Immediate Goal of LOE #3 – Risk Management is to aid commercial companies in identifying and mitigating risks associated with employing solutions supporting military operations. This involves sharing threat information to reduce risks to commercial systems, including cybersecurity threat information at multiple classification levels. The USSF aims to establish processes for the timely dissemination of actionable threat data and work with the DoD to address barriers like overclassification and clearance processes to facilitate communication with the commercial space sector. 

Further OODA Loop Resources 

For additional OODA Loops News Briefs and Original Analysis on Space Exploration, go to OODA Loop | Space

The Executive’s Guide to Space:  The rapid pace of innovation in space produces real capabilities that can be leveraged for businesses in every sector of the economy. There is a growing excitement over the many developments in the space industry, giving rise to many questions about how these developments will impact markets overall. This guide is meant to assist strategic planners in assessing developments in the space sector. For more, see The Executive’s Guide To Commercial Use of Space

Security In Space and Security of Space:  The last decade has seen an incredible increase in the commercial use of space. Businesses and individual consumers now leverage space solutions that are so integrated into our systems that they seem invisible. Some of these services include Communications, including very high-speed, low-latency communications to distant and mobile users. Learn more at the OODA Research Report: What Business Needs To Know About Security In Space. Also see Is Space Critical Infrastructure, the special report on Cyber Threats to Project Artemis, and Mitigating Threats To Commercial Space Satellites.

The Space Economy: Opportunities and Risks:  After decades of stagnation, space innovation keeps pushing the boundaries of the possible, with new firsts emerging on a monthly basis. This topic was explored at length at OODAcon 2023,  with a deep dive into the emerging opportunities, economies, and risks associated with the rapid development of space-based technologies, resource acquisition, and shift from the public to the private sector.    The following captures insights from a discussion between Ryan Westerdahl, CEO Turion Space and Sita Sonty, CEO Space Tango. 

Space and National Security: We are entering a new age of exploration and human expansion into space.  Explore this new space rush’s new national security and economic realities in this OODAcon 2023 Closing Keynote conversation between OODA CTO Bob Gourley and the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of the US Space Force, Lisa Costa.  

Space Force’s Vital Work on Standards for Digital Twins and Global Supply Chain Resiliency: Following Lisa Costa (Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of the US Space Force’s attendance at OODAcon 2023 for a discussion of The New Space Rush, the following are some space operations and innovation initiatives in which the Space Force is taking the lead. 

Commercial Space: Innovation, Regulation, and International Collaboration:   The upcoming OODAcon 2023 panel – “The Space Edge – Defining New Opportunities, Economies, and Risks” – will dig deep into the emerging opportunities, economies, and risks associated with the rapid development of space-based technologies, resource acquisition, and shift from the public to private sector.  After decades of stagnation, space innovation keeps pushing the boundaries of the possible, with new firsts emerging every month. Following is a compilation of OODA Loop’s original analysis and resources on the revolution evolution of the Commercial Space industry sector.

The Future of Space: National Security, Cybersecurity, and AI/ML: Exploring the new national security and economic realities of The New Space Rush will be the closing keynote discussion with Lisa Costa, the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of the US Space Force at OODAcon 2023.  Following is a compilation of recent OODA analyses of the future of space, national security, cybersecurity artificial intelligence, and machine learning.  

Space Exploration Milestones of Note in 2023:  A compilation of the space exploration milestones featured here at OODA Loop in 2023.