{"id":67590,"date":"2024-07-26T17:49:03","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T17:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2024\/07\/26\/space-force-mulling-nuclear-protection-for-missile-tracking-satellites\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:07:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:07:53","slug":"space-force-mulling-nuclear-protection-for-missile-tracking-satellites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2024\/07\/26\/space-force-mulling-nuclear-protection-for-missile-tracking-satellites\/","title":{"rendered":"Space Force mulling nuclear protection for missile-tracking satellites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Space Force has launched a study to consider what capabilities to host on future satellites that detect and track advanced, high-speed weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. Rob Davis, who oversees space sensing acquisition efforts for the service, said Thursday that as part of that work, the Space Force is weighing the right approach for ensuring such spacecraft can survive a nuclear threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re currently working with the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, the SWAC, to help us figure out what\u2019s the next generation of those capabilities,\u201d Davis said during a virtual National Security Space Association event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service is in the early days of a long-term plan to strengthen its missile tracking capabilities<\/a> against threats from China and Russia, both of whom are developing hypersonic missiles that can travel and maneuver at Mach 5 speeds. The two countries are also building, and in some cases testing, anti-satellite weapons that could impede safe operations in orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Space Force currently relies on large, expensive satellites to perform its missile warning mission. These spacecraft, part of the Space-Based Infrared System, are radiation-hardened, which means they\u2019re equipped with structures and materials that allow them to withstand a nuclear attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\t