Defense Department plans integration with commercial space firms

The Department of Defense on Tuesday released a strategy to include commercial space operations in its security structures. The government used to conduct most of the U.S.-based projects in space, but now hundreds of private firms conduct launches, make equipment, or build networks in space, according to the department.

So what does this strategy do? The Defense Department’s first Commercial Space Integration Strategy aims to integrate private firms’ projects into a national security system. The private system would provide the U.S. military with reliable intelligence, surveillance, and communication capabilities. Integrating private firms’ capabilities into the military’s national security systems will help the U.S. maintain its technological advantages and a more secure space domain, according to the strategy.

How does the Pentagon aim to do this? The department said it would begin entering into contracts with private firms, eventually incorporating their technologies into wargames and other tests. The Pentagon hopes to integrate the technologies during peacetime to ensure they are ready for use during any future crisis. The department will also seek to protect the commercial space industry from threats on the ground or in space.

Dig deeper: Read Jeff Palomino’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about how the U.S. Space Force is becoming increasingly critical for maintaining U.S. national security.