U.S. Space Command Gen. B. Chance Saltzman testifies on fiscal 2024 budget requests during the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee Strategic Command hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, March 14, 2023. (Photo courtesy : SAUL LOEB) / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
When General Chance Saltzman took the keynote stage at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado this week, his message was simple. The United States is entering a new era of space activity.
“Threats to our in-orbit capabilities from strategic competitors [have] In an interview with CNBC after his speech, Saltzman, the second Space Commander in history to lead space operations, said: It has grown at an exponential rate. ”
In his first broadcast interview since becoming the military’s highest-ranking military official last November, he said in an interview on CNBC’s “Manifest Space” podcast, “When it comes to processes and procedures, we’re different. I want to confirm what you are thinking.
This message comes at a pivotal moment when space is rapidly being commercialized, the geopolitical context is on the rise, and we increasingly see threats extending beyond Earth into areas where the rules of engagement are unclear. increase.
Follow and listen on CNBC “Manifest Space” Podcastwhere you can get podcasts, hosted by Morgan Brennan.
Military experts say space is likely to become the front line of future conflicts. The battlefield can extend into the private sector and affect civilians in real time. Look at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an example. Remember the unprecedented cyberattack on the US satellite operator’s European communications network. Biasat Just as Russian soldiers were mobilized to cross the borders of sovereignty.
Saltzman said adversaries like Russia and China’s space-based tactics run the gamut from jamming GPS constellations. Lasers or “dazzlers” that interfere with orbital cameras and prevent image collection. to anti-satellite missiles like the one Russia tested in late 2021.
“We’re looking at satellites that can actually grab another satellite, work on it, and pull it out of operational orbit. These are all capabilities that are being demonstrated in orbit today. These weapon combinations and their pace are It is being developed and is very concerning,” he said.
It explains why, despite a wave of heated debate, 2019 marked the active launch of the Space Force as the first new branch of the U.S. military in 70 years.
To meet evolving threats and protect space assets more quickly, Saltzman further enhances service capabilities to make satellite constellations more resilient and taps into cadres of fast-growing commercial space players We aim to win more launch services by doing so.
Case in point: The Space Force’s recently announced procurement strategy for more launch services. A new “dual-lane acquisition approach” aims to give rocket startups more opportunities to compete for national security launch contracts.
The business will be awarded next year, and the National Security Space Launch Phase 3, estimated to reach billions of dollars, is expected to draw bids from the likes. rocket lab, Relativity Space, and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The Phase 2 award went to a joint venture between SpaceX and the United Launch Alliance. lockheed martin and Boeing.
A larger budget also helps. Although only a fraction of the country’s overall defense budget, the Space Force’s $30 billion request for fiscal 2024 represents his 15% increase from this year’s enacted level. increase.
“This is a team sport and none of us succeed alone,” Saltzman said.
Hosted by CNBC’s Morgan Brennan, “Manifest Space” focuses on the billionaires and brains behind the opportunities that continue to expand beyond the atmosphere. Brennan interacts with today’s satellite, space and defense moguls, industry leaders and start-ups. of “manifest space” Sit back, relax, and get ready for liftoff.
