The United States must consider alternatives in future satellite constellations as adversaries develop systems that challenge our way of life, said Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command. “As I look at the next 20 years in space, we have a difficult, uphill climb ahead of us,” said Shelton during a Jan. 7 speech at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. “These alternatives must balance required capability, affordability, and resilience.” AFSPC is considering many options, particularly the notion of disaggregation, states a Pentagon release. That means, “moving away from the multiple payload, big satellite construct into a less complex satellite architecture with multiple components,” he said. Shelton emphasized the importance of satellites, saying they are essential to 21st century American life and fundamental to today’s military operations.
Companies planning to compete for Golden Dome contracts say they’re already investing in capabilities that could have a range of defense and commercial applications—regardless of whether they’re selected for the Pentagon’s sweeping program to create an advanced homeland missile defense shield.
