The chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, Gen. Chance Saltzman, issued a stark warning at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. He stated that America’s ability to track threats in space is dangerously outdated, ill-equipped for an era of potential surprise attacks on U.S. satellites.
Gen. Saltzman highlighted that the military’s space surveillance systems, designed for a less hostile orbital environment, are struggling to cope with the increasing number of satellites and space debris, along with the proliferation of anti-satellite weapons by nations like China and Russia. “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,” he emphasized. “The longer it takes to update the catalog, the more problematic the issue, the less domain awareness we have.”
His comments reflect growing Pentagon concerns about “space domain awareness” – the comprehensive tracking and understanding of all orbital activities. This capability is crucial as space becomes a contested warfighting domain. The rapid increase in active satellites, coupled with the development of anti-satellite weapons, creates unprecedented challenges for existing tracking systems.
The Space Force maintains a space catalog, a database of orbiting objects. However, this Cold War-era system struggles with the current complexities. Saltzman noted, “Much of our SDA mission set was built for a different era, an era where space was not a warfighting domain.” He stressed the need for increased manpower, updated training, enhanced tools, and improved data leverage.
Saltzman advocates for a move beyond basic cataloging to predictive and analytical intelligence. He stated, “We need a more comprehensive program to avoid operational surprise, not just enhance ongoing efforts incrementally,” and further, “We need to solve SDA problems, not just improve SDA processes.”
The dependence of modern military operations on space-based assets makes effective space surveillance critical. Saltzman warned, “Space is becoming exponentially more congested each day,” and “our SDA capabilities are struggling to keep pace. And without operationally relevant SDA, contesting the space domain to maintain our strategic advantages will be nearly impossible.”
Saltzman highlighted the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, home to one of three operational GEODSS (Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance) systems, as a vital asset. He emphasized the Space Force’s commitment to modernizing the site with programs like GBOSS (Ground-Based Optical Sensor System) and the SDA TAP Lab, fostering collaboration with industry and academia.
Saltzman strongly advocates for deeper collaboration with the private sector, addressing previous criticisms of the Space Force’s slow adoption of commercial innovations. He stated, “We need you, everyone in this room today, to help us turn commercial innovations into warfighting advantage.” He aims to shift from a transactional relationship with industry to a collaborative partnership.
The Space Force's recently published commercial space strategy provides the framework for expanded industry partnerships. Saltzman acknowledged his previous hesitancy, explaining, “What I felt is that it was necessary to make sure we’re all on the same page, make sure we describe mission areas the same way. Make sure we understand requirement sets.”
Saltzman concludes that incremental improvements are insufficient, emphasizing the need for “decision quality understanding” instead of just “a potpourri of sensors and data.” The Space Force aims to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology for critical military space missions, with space domain awareness at the forefront.