As the space race heats up and geopolitical tensions rise, the Pentagon is looking for technologies that will improve its understanding of operations in space. The Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP), a joint effort of the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, issued a Request for Information (RFI) on advanced space communications technologies on September 11. The SSDP is responsible for assessing potential threats to U.S. space assets and gathering information on technologies to protect U.S. systems.

Space Awareness, or SDA, refers to the ability to track and understand a large number of human-made objects in Earth orbit, including satellites and space debris.

The RFI is a formal mechanism used by government agencies to solicit ideas before awarding contracts. Military leaders have argued for years that an increasingly crowded and contested space requires more sophisticated tools to track and analyze objects in orbit. Specifically, the RFI is seeking “proven and innovative SDA concepts that support military operations support, manmade object surveillance, intelligence gathering, and environmental monitoring.”

The RFI’s disclosure follows scathing comments by retired Lt. Gen. John Shaw, former top U.S. Space Command official, expressing concerns about the U.S. military’s ability to adapt to the changing dynamics of space. Shaw said the current focus remains on basic cataloging of space objects, rather than more dynamic pursuit of elusive targets in unconventional orbits where adversaries could deploy spacecraft to target U.S. satellites.

The SSDP calls for “proven and innovative SDA concepts for use between 2030 and 2040” and looks to existing industry capabilities and services “at the scale and speed to effectively counter threats in a dynamic and distributed environment.”

Companies in the SDA industry rely on a range of advanced technologies to monitor and analyze activities in space.

While ground-based radar, optical, and infrared sensors are used to track the movement of satellites, debris, and other objects, space-based sensors provide additional tracking capabilities. These sensors collect large amounts of data, which is then processed using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. By analyzing historical data, these tools can predict the future movements of space objects, allowing for the detection of potential collisions or other hazards.

Additionally, companies are using sensor fusion techniques that combine data from multiple sensors to provide a more detailed and complete understanding of the space environment.