The United States Space Force has launched a major search in the commercial market for companies that can monitor and characterize activity in the increasingly dense low Earth orbit (LEO) environment. With increasing numbers of commercial and government satellites launched into LEO, approximately 1.200 miles above the Earth’s surface, the Space Force’s need for visibility in this area is also increasing.
Increasing Orbital Density and the Need for Space Awareness
In a May 16 memo, the Space Force is requesting information from companies that can provide space domain awareness in “an increasingly dense orbital environment.” Specifically, the service wants these systems to provide better insight into “objects of interest” and real-time assessment of potential associations. It also needs data that can be used to rapidly investigate anomalies in LEO to understand whether measures need to be taken to protect U.S. space assets.
The Space Force’s goal is to identify commercial vendors that can, currently or in the future, deploy individual sensors directly from a pre-existing U.S. government mission application layer. The government is particularly interested in solutions that prioritize data quality, validation, and traceability to ensure the reliability of information used in time-critical decision-making. The mission application layer is defined in the statement as a software capability that provides military operators with information about the environment when deploying and deploying commercial sensors.
The Search for Commercial Talent Between LEO and GEO
The call for LEO-based space domain awareness follows similar efforts by the Space Force to identify commercial capabilities for geosynchronous orbit (GEO), which is at a higher altitude than LEO and where most of the service’s high-value systems are located. In early 2024, the Space Force solicited input from private sector firms on whether GEO sensing systems could supplement existing government satellites that make up the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP).
That market research led the service to develop an acquisition plan for a commercial GEO-based space domain awareness architecture. The Space Force approved the initial plan in late April and is now developing a more detailed strategy, including how to offer the system to U.S. allies on an unclassified level.
The Growing LEO Market and Available Solutions
The Space Force has several ongoing initiatives to leverage the growing market for LEO-based services. In 2023, it selected a pool of 16 vendors to provide a range of services as part of the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit program. This contract initially had a ceiling of $900 million but has since been increased to $13 billion in response to demand from military users. This increase highlights the magnitude of demand for commercial LEO services.
In the field of space domain awareness, ExoAnalytic Solutions, LeoLabs and Slingshot Aerospace A range of initiatives, such as AI tracking tools, offer capabilities ranging from mobile, ground-based radars. The May 16 statement did not specify a preference for space- or ground-based systems, but said the service specifically needs geospatial data, electro-optical, and active and passive radio frequency observations. This suggests that the Space Force is open to different data collection methods and is looking for the most effective solutions.
The Role of Commercial Partnerships for Future Space Security
The increasingly crowded and competitive space environment makes the need for space security and awareness more important than ever. The Space Force’s focus on commercial capabilities in this area can be seen as part of a strategy to both foster innovation and find cost-effective solutions. The dynamic nature and rapid development potential of the private sector can play a critical role in meeting the government’s complex space surveillance needs.
Collaborations with commercial companies will increase the operational flexibility of the Space Force and enable the United States to better protect its space assets from potential threats. This approach will not only contribute to national security, but will also spur growth in the space economy. In the future, commercial space domain awareness services are expected to become an integral part of the global space security architecture.
