National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays.

Welcome to this week's edition of SpaceNews Military, your concise source for the latest developments at the intersection of space and national security. In this issue, we cover:

NGA launches new program to validate AI models for geoint
Space Force, intel agencies to collaborate on satellite imagery
Role of allies becoming more critical in military space programs

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Space & defense brief 🛰️

Can we trust the machines? NGA kicks off AI trustworthiness pilot — The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is launching a pilot program to ensure the reliability of AI models used in analyzing satellite imagery, NGA Director Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth told reporters last week.

The goal is to create guidelines for evaluating computer vision models that process satellite imagery and other geospatial data. This comes as intelligence agencies increasingly rely on AI to handle vast amounts of daily data.
The initiative aims to boost confidence in AI-generated insights used in military operations and national security decision-making. "We try to be certain on the distinction between a combatant and non-combatant, an enemy and a non-enemy," Whitworth said, emphasizing the high stakes involved.
The pilot program aligns with DoD's ethical AI guidelines and responds to a recent White House executive order, said Whitworth. It comes as NGA supports operations in Israel and Ukraine, underlining the need for accurate intelligence in sensitive situations.
The pilot is in early stages, with specifics still to be determined. NGA has also launched a responsible AI training program for all coders and users of geospatial intelligence data.

The bottom line: "Let's not forget that there's some very clever adversaries out there that will confound some of the training data and confound some of these model solutions," Whitworth cautioned, stressing the need for rigorous AI evaluation.

Military and intel agencies to team up — The U.S. Space Force and intelligence agencies are working to streamline the delivery of satellite imagery to military commanders, Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein and NGA Director Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth said last week.

Space Force operators have been assigned to a new "joint mission management center" at NGA's Virginia campus, aimed at sorting out satellite tasking responsibilities as military leaders are demanding faster access to commercial satellite imagery.

The center will help define roles for a new satellite constellation being developed to track moving targets from space.
NGA rejects claims it's a "gatekeeper" for military access to commercial imagery

"We've reached a Eureka moment in our understanding of the Space Force and their understanding of us," Whitworth said.

Guetlein highlighted key issues to resolve:

Future information sharing protocols
Collaboration on automatic target recognition
Rapid intel delivery to frontline troops

Whitworth described the center as a "sand pit" for resource allocation discussions, acknowledging that fully integrating space-based intel into military ops will take time.

The bottom line: This collaboration marks a step in breaking down "stovepipes" between military and intelligence space operations, but officials admit there's still work to be done.

USSPACECOM Commander Honors Colorado Springs Enlistees/ Credit: US SPACECOM

U.S. Space Command chief acknowledges SDA hurdles, cites progress — The head of U.S. Space Command Gen. Stephen Whiting offered a measured response to recent criticism about the military's space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities, acknowledging challenges while highlighting ongoing improvements.

The context: Retired Lt. Gen. John Shaw, former deputy commander of U.S. Space Command, recently argued that SDA remains largely limited to basic cataloging, falling short of needed predictive and analytical capabilities.

Shaw's view: "We still have a capability lag," the former deputy commander stated.

Speaking at a Mitchell Institute event on Aug. 28, Whiting addressed Shaw's concerns:

"We have the best space domain awareness in the world, and we've leveraged that for a long time," Whiting said. "But the question is, is it good enough for the potential operations that we see?"
He noted recent enhancements such as a long-range radar in Alaska and ongoing projects like deep-space radar sites in Australia and Europe.
Whiting also mentioned collaboration with the National Reconnaissance Office on orbital SDA capabilities.
It's a balancing act: "We're working better with commercial, but we still have work to do."

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In other news 🚀

The U.S. Space Force is actively pursuing partnerships with allied nations to bolster space defense capabilities, said Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein.

"We no longer can go it alone," Guetlein said. He highlighted the Space Force's position as the smallest service with the most expansive area of responsibility at a time when the complexities of space security demand a collaborative, global approach.

The Space Force will pursue joint development of technologies to protect satellites and respond to attacks on space networks, Guetlein said.

Lockheed Martin is testing inflatable structures for space operations. Potential applications include storage units for cryogenic fuel, pressurized tunnels to connect habitation modules and habitats to support crews on the moon and Mars.

These structures can be packaged within the fairing of modest-sized launchers, said Rowan Palmer, a systems engineer at the Lockheed Martin Space softgoods and habitation team.

These soft materials in tests have performed better than metals when it comes to protection against radiation and thermal conditions, the company said.

Rowan Palmer, a systems engineer within the Lockheed Martin Space softgoods and habitation team, inspects an inflatable airlock test unit. Credit: Barbara David

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Raytheon Technologies a $51.7 million contract to develop satellite communications antennas for military aircraft.

The three-year contract falls under the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) program, which aims to create advanced satcom networks leveraging commercial space internet constellations like Starlink, OneWeb, SES's O3b and others.

Under the contract, Raytheon will develop multi-band, high-throughput satellite communications antennas that can be integrated onto various military aircraft.

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