Hamas attack shows space-based sensing can’t see everything
A new Pentagon constellation will close some gaps, but the need for “old-school” human intelligence will remain.
AUDREY DECKER | OCTOBER 12, 2023
Why didn’t the U.S. and its allies’ spy satellites catch Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel? In part, physics.
Satellites in geosynchronous orbit are too far away to catch much detail, and there aren’t enough satellites in low-Earth orbit that can deliver constant, high-resolution imagery, according to industry experts.
While space-based sensors aren’t a “cure-all” for U.S. intelligence needs, Hamas’s recent attack proved the need for persistent coverage from orbit, said Todd Harrison, a longtime defense analyst who is managing director of Metrea Strategic Insights.
The Pentagon has already started an effort through the Space Development Agency to build a network of military satellites in LEO, called the “Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.”
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2023/10/hamas-attack-shows-space-based-sensing-cant-see-everything/391155/
