|  | National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays. |
| | In this week's edition: • Senate appropriators boost Pentagon funding • Small GEO sats getting attention in defense market • Defense Science Board weighs in on commercial space
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| | | | | Senate appropriators unveiled their proposed fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill last week, ramping up funding for the Pentagon and Space Force above the president's request. The $852.2 billion package, approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, exceeds the administration's proposal by $2.4 billion and signals a commitment to military space programs and geospatial intelligence capabilities. According to estimates from the consulting firm Velos, the SAC bill allocates $30.3 billion for the Space Force, representing an $800 million increase over the administration's request. A report accompanying the spending bill addresses concerns about the timeliness and efficacy of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) distribution to military users. While acknowledging the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's role as the primary GEOINT provider, the committee emphasized the Department of Defense's authority to acquire essential GEOINT data for tactical missions. To address potential gaps in responsiveness to combatant commander needs, the Secretary of Defense is directed to commission a report from a federally-funded research and development center on the current prioritization process for GEOINT requirements. The bill also recommends an additional $22 million for commercial services supporting augmented position, navigation, and timing missions, space-based environmental monitoring, and the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve.
Despite the bill's approval by the committee, it's unlikely to see immediate floor action when the Senate reconvenes in September. With no 2025 appropriations bills having cleared both chambers and only three weeks to pass them upon return, Congress is expected to pivot towards passing a short-term continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. |
|  | | The U.S. Space Force is undergoing organizational changes that could reshape how it works with industry partners.
At the heart of this transformation are two key initiatives: the creation of "Integrated Mission Deltas" (IMDs) and the establishment of a new Space Futures Command. The IMDs are breaking down traditional silos by combining operational units with program offices. This move aims to streamline command structures and accelerate modernization efforts. Meanwhile, the Space Futures Command is set to launch in August 2024. This new entity will be responsible for identifying emerging technologies and capabilities needed to maintain the U.S. edge in space.
These changes matter because they signal a shift in how the Space Force operates. The focus is moving towards frontline operators and their needs, with the goal of creating a more agile and responsive force.
For the industry, this means there's likely to be an increased emphasis on practical military applications over pure innovation. |
| |  | Military space buyers are turning their attention to a new breed of satellites. These "small GEO" satellites, weighing between 300 and 500 kilograms, are promising to deliver geostationary capabilities at a fraction of the cost and time of multi-ton spacecraft.
The Space Systems Command is gearing up to unveil details of a satellite services procurement aimed at the growing number of companies entering this niche market. Cordell DeLaPena, program executive officer for military communications at the Space Force's Space Systems Command, believes there's a strong business case for small GEO satellites in military space architecture. These satellites offer potential advantages that appeal to military customers, such as maneuverability, without always needing "exquisite capability." Clare Hopper, head of the U.S. Space Force's Commercial Satellite Communications Office, recently announced plans to launch a new program called "maneuverable GEO." This initiative aims to capture innovations in the small GEO sector and is expected to encompass a range of services, including satellite communications and satellite leasing for military operations.
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| |  | | | | A new report by the Defense Science Board (DSB) calls for increased adoption of commercial space technologies to bolster U.S. military capabilities.
The DSB, a committee of civilian experts that advises senior Defense Department leadership, recommends a comprehensive approach to integrating commercial space capabilities into national security architectures.
The panel that wrote the study, chaired by industry executive Mandy Vaughn and retired U.S. Air Force general Ellen Pawlikowski, emphasized the rapidly evolving nature of the space sector and the benefits DoD could gain by leveraging these innovations. |
| | | Capella Space secured a $14.9 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) services.
Capella Space specializes in Earth observation using SAR technology. The contract, set to run until December 2026, is to integrate Capella's SAR data into AFRL's Global Unification Environment, an experimental cloud-based platform designed to test automated satellite tasking and imaging collection strategies using commercial systems. |
|  | | CACI International got a 10-year contract worth up to $450 million to support the Joint Navigation Warfare Center (JNWC).
The JNWC, a subordinate organization of U.S. Space Command's Combined Force Space Component Command, serves as the Department of Defense's center of excellence for navigation warfare.
Under the contract, CACI will assist combatant commanders in enhancing their ability to operate in PNT-disrupted, denied and degraded areas. |
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