Space: –
The asymmetric advantage the United States has long enjoyed in space diminishes as adversaries threaten the space system architecture underlying that advantage. The U.S. space system architecture depends on large, exquisite capabilities and a ground segment to manage and link those capabilities. It was leveraged to devastating effect during warfighting in the nineties and proved that space capabilities could transform air, ground, and naval power. It also spurred steep growth in the U.S. space industry, which had both first mover advantage and generous government contracts to grow its knowledge base. In subsequent years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia have sought to neutralize the advantage by developing strike and counterstrike capabilities of U.S. systems through kinetic, non-kinetic, electronic, and cyber-attacks. They have also sought to develop their own industrial base to compete with U.S. industry.
This report culminates the 2023 Eisenhower School Space Industry Study (SPC-IS) seminar research into how best to approach the transformation of the U.S. defense space system architecture. The report begins by defining a space system architecture encompassing the satellite, ground, and communications segments. It also defines the space enterprise based on the teachings of this course and interactions with industry, foreign governments, and federal agencies. Understanding the space system architecture and the supporting space enterprise was critical to our research and the proposed recommendations. The definitions are followed by a discussion on the evolution of space requirements, architecture, and enterprise and our analysis of the space industry, market conditions, and market.
The 2023 Eisenhower School Space Industry Study (SPC-IS) proposes actions for transforming the space system architecture framed in both a Fight Tonight and Winning the Fight Tomorrow context. The Fight Tonight portion of the paper focuses on fielding capabilities in the next 24 months by bolstering resiliency, closing capability gaps, and pursuing appropriate acquisition structures. The Winning the Fight Tomorrow portion of the paper proposes concepts and changes for the broader, long-term U.S. enterprise that can be started today.
The Winning the Fight Tonight recommendations are:
- Buy What We Can – Space Domain Awareness (SDA) is the priority. SDA provides detection and attribution capabilities as part of a deterrence strategy. SPC-IS recommends a continued partnership with the commercial industry to fill gaps quickly. Several commercial firms have innovative technology that can be leveraged today. However, we must ensure that we take a long-term view of commercial-government relationships and choose appropriate contract types.
- Improving Immediate Surge Capabilities – SPC-IS recommends developing Tactically Responsive Space Programs (TacRS) and a Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve capability.
- Cyber Defense – SPC-IS recommends prioritizing the cyber security of the entire space architecture by ensuring cyber defense capabilities are fully resourced.
The Winning the Fight Tomorrow recommendations are:
- Defense Space Acquisition Strategy for the Fight Tomorrow – SPC-IS discusses the benefits and risks of the Government Owned – Contractor Operated (GOCO) and the Contractor Owned – Contractor Operated (COCO) relationships as the military seeks to leverage commercial company capabilities. Secondly, SPC-IS recommends that the U.S. Space Force (USSF) produce and distribute integration standards for service-specific platforms that rely on space capabilities. Lastly, SPC-IS recommends the USSF continue evaluating future and commercial technologies for integration and participate in both working groups and standards development groups.
- Joint Warfighting – The SPC-IS discusses the long-term role of the USSF in training, organizing, and equipping guardians to support the U.S. Space Command. The section also discusses the role of the Space Systems Command in acquiring combat-enabling capabilities.
- Organization of Civilian Space Authorities – The SPC-IS recommends that the White House’s National Space Council coordinate and clarify the organization, roles, and responsibilities of the multiple federal entities involved in the national security, civil, and commercial space sectors. SPC-IS recommends partnering with Congress to limit Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorities and unify public-facing communications and regulatory contacts of those disparate Cabinet agency authorities that remain to minimize bureaucratic compliance costs.
- An Improved Regulatory Framework to Facilitate Foreign Military Sales – SPC-IS recommends transitioning the prescriptive regulatory text of export control regulations to an adjudicative process that does not require the codification of specific technologies through a notice and comment rulemaking process. Streamlining this regulatory framework for space-related foreign military and dual-use sales could remove unnecessary barriers to domestic industry and the growth of space capabilities by close allies and partners.
- Building International Coalitions – SPC-IS recommends the United States expand resources for international space development and cooperation to counter the PRC’s diplomatic efforts in international norms-setting bodies. The investment could provide an opportunity to bolster U.S. ally capabilities in space while gaining new space alliances in Africa, South America, and elsewhere.
- Provision of War Risk Insurance – SPC-IS recommends extending war risk insurance programs to commercial space industry that support defense operations.
Read the report →