SCIENCE & TECH
US Military Satellites Need to Get Smarter, More Self-Reliant
Future satellites should understand their environment, act autonomously, and be less reliant on Earth for refuel, Space Command’s deputy commander says.
PATRICK TUCKER | AUGUST 31, 2022
SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Predictive analytics and refuel-and-repair capabilities for satellites are some of Space Command’s key technology needs, a top official said Wednesday.
The command is charged with monitoring activity and debris in space, for the operation of military satellites as well as manned space missions. To do that—and to detect electromagnetic waveforms that could be signs of electronic warfare from adversaries—they’ll need new types of satellites or new capabilities for satellites, Lt. Gen. John Shaw, deputy commander of U.S. Space Command, said at the DARPA Forward event.
“Historically, we have typically done that mission set from mostly using sensors here on the planet,” he said.
The command is also seeking new types of AI software, deployable on satellites, to closely monitor electromagnetic noise or physical debris and watch for changes in “behavior.”
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2022/08/us-military-satellites-need-get-smarter-more-self-reliant/376584/
