Astronomy Prints 🌌: Military Space: New questions on the Pentagon's LEO strategy

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By Sandra Erwin

Welcome to this week's edition of SpaceNews' Military Space, your source for the latest developments at the intersection of space and national security. In this week's edition: A potential shift in DoD's strategy for proliferated low Earth orbit satcom, L3Harris names a top exec to lead Golden Dome and China's satellite maneuvering raise concerns.

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Solid rocket boosters made by Northrop Grumman are mounted onto the United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket scheduled to launch USSF-106 this summer. This will be Vulcan's first national security mission for the U.S. Space Force. Credit: United Launch Alliance

MILNET emerges as DoD SATCOM priority, but the strategic direction remains unclear

The U.S. Space Force put a satellite communications constellation known as MILNET atop its FY26 unfunded priorities list, but clarity on the program's direction remains elusive.

The unfunded priorities list includes $3.5 billion for Block II satellites and $686 million for launch services to support a proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO) network aimed at providing global, resilient and secure military communications. The MILNET request surfaced alongside potential cuts to the Space Development Agency's (SDA) Tranche 3 Transport Layer — part of the existing Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
The Pentagon's interest in MILNET is raising questions from lawmakers who worry DoD may be shifting focus from the SDA's open competition model toward a potentially sole-source architecture based on SpaceX's proprietary Starshield platform. Congressional leaders have warned such a move could reduce vendor diversity and increase long-term risk from vendor lock-in.

DoD still undecided on final architecture

The Department of the Air Force said it will conduct a formal analysis of alternatives to determine MILNET's ultimate configuration — including the mix of government-owned assets and commercial services. The review includes interoperability with existing systems like PWSA and a broader optical crosslink mesh that would allow for a scalable, multi-vendor solution.

Adding further confusion: the administration's FY26 budget mistakenly included $277 million for MILNET that officials now say should have been categorized under "Long Range Kill Chains" — a joint Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office program focused on space-based ground moving target tracking using Starshield satellites.
To support future interoperability, the Space Force is also pursuing a parallel initiative under its "enterprise space terminals" program. Contractors including CACI, General Atomics and Viasat are developing optical crosslink prototypes designed to integrate MILNET with both government and commercial networks.

Industry on alert

MILNET's rise as the top unfunded priority and the simultaneous uncertainty surrounding SDA's future raises strategic stakes for satellite providers. Analysts say the situation reflects the risks of late-stage budget shifts and could reshape how the Pentagon approaches LEO communications in the years ahead.

Congressional support for multi-vendor competition remains strong, and the ultimate architecture choice for MILNET will have major implications for companies seeking a foothold in the military pLEO market.

L3Harris appoints executive to lead Golden Dome activities

L3Harris Technologies has created a new executive post to steer its growing portfolio of work on Golden Dome, a next-generation missile defense system that includes a space-based shield to defend against advanced missile threats from adversaries like China and Russia.

The company last week named Rob Mitrevski as president of Golden Dome strategy and integration. A 35-year company veteran, Mitrevski has long focused on missile defense.

Like other top defense contractors, L3Harris is seeking an edge in what is likely to be a highly competitive program. Mitrevski most recently oversaw the company's expansion of infrared sensor payload production capacity. This is a key technology for tracking high-speed missile threats from space.
The elevation of Mitrevski comes as other major defense primes move to establish internal leadership dedicated solely to Golden Dome. Industry executives say such moves reflect the program's complexity, urgency and strategic importance.
Golden Dome would rely on a network of satellites equipped with infrared sensors and fire-control algorithms to detect, track, and coordinate interceptor launches against incoming threats. It would build upon existing programs such as the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) and the Space Development Agency's Tracking Layer, both of which L3Harris supports through ongoing contracts.

Golden Dome received a major boost earlier this month when Congress passed a sweeping reconciliation package that included nearly $25 billion for the program. While labeled as a down payment, that figure marks the first tranche in what President Trump said could be a $175 billion investment over several years.

Beijing's satellites are training for war

China is no longer just launching satellites. It's maneuvering them with precision, coordination and intent — and the Pentagon is taking notice.

Over the past year, a cluster of Chinese spacecraft has executed a string of complex, synchronized movements in orbit that U.S. defense officials and commercial trackers say look less like routine operations and more like training runs for a future conflict in space.

Officials worry that U.S. dominance in space is being challenged by China's growing fleet and by what those satellites are doing.
Between late 2023 and mid-2024, Chinese satellites Shiyan-24A/B/C and Shijian-6 05A/B performed coordinated flybys and rendezvous maneuvers within less than a kilometer of each other — movements that are technically difficult and tactically significant.
Around the same time, Chinese spacecraft Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 appeared to conduct an orbital refueling demonstration in geostationary orbit — a first for China, according to the commercial firm COMSPOC. The U.S. responded by maneuvering its own GEO surveillance satellites, USA-270 and 271, into nearby positions to monitor the activity.

These operations are dual-use by design: satellite servicing and refueling technologies have peaceful applications, but also enable offensive capabilities such as disabling or towing enemy spacecraft.

To keep pace, the Pentagon is leaning on the commercial sector. In May, Space Systems Command issued a request for industry support, citing a need for "tactical space domain awareness" in low Earth orbit. The military wants minute-by-minute insights into satellite behavior.

Beijing is also moving forward with massive LEO constellations — one state-backed, another ostensibly commercial — each with over 13,000 satellites. U.S. officials warn that amid the growing population of Chinese spacecraft, it's becoming harder to distinguish routine traffic from a Trojan horse.

Brendan Mulvaney, director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute, said China's approach reflects a shift in strategic doctrine: integrate space dominance into its warfighting plans and exploit U.S. reliance on space infrastructure. "They're maneuvering satellites to gain positional advantage," he said. "And they're doing it while we're still figuring out what they're up to."

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