The United States Space Force is evaluating strategies to utilize its new Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) to enable on-demand launches, aiming to swiftly deploy essential capabilities into orbit. This initiative seeks to enhance the service’s capacity for rapid response to real-time, on-orbit requirements. During a briefing at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colonel Richard Kniseley, head of the Commercial Space Office, outlined plans to collaborate with the Space Force’s launch enterprise and the Space Safari office. This partnership focuses on Tactically Responsive Space exercises designed to refine the service’s responsiveness.
The pilot project will establish a framework for employing CASR for responsive launches, with an emphasis on managing supply chain risks and security challenges while developing an on-call vendor pool. The objective is to initiate this pilot by fall, primarily as a tabletop exercise rather than a full-scale operational demonstration. The CASR program mirrors the Air Force’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet, leveraging commercial space capabilities both in peacetime and conflict.
Although the Space Force has unique military requirements, it heavily relies on commercial space companies for services such as satellite communications, space domain awareness, and launch operations. The service has been proactively seeking ways to integrate these commercial capabilities into its mission areas. Earlier this year, the Space Force awarded its initial CASR contracts, totaling $1.1 million, to companies providing space domain awareness services. There are plans for further contracts in satellite communications and tactical surveillance, including data and imagery collection.
As CASR moves forward, the Space Force is still developing policies regarding government demand prioritization and providing financial protections for commercial partners against potential threats from adversaries. The service is collaborating with the Pentagon to resolve these issues and anticipates receiving insights from an ongoing study in the near future. Additionally, CASR wargame exercises have been introduced to explore the complexities of the program’s mission areas.
The Commercial Space Office recently conducted its first commercial satellite communications wargame, engaging multiple SATCOM vendors to assess how capacity distribution would occur in different scenarios. This exercise considered the needs of investors, private sector clients, government users, and international allies. Further discussions and a second SATCOM wargame are scheduled for later this year to delve deeper into these considerations.
The Bigger Picture
The Space Force’s exploration of the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve presents significant implications for the commercial space industry and national security. By establishing a responsive launch framework, the initiative is poised to enhance the agility of space operations, crucial for both military and civilian applications. This agility ensures that critical capabilities can be rapidly deployed, bolstering the nation’s defensive and strategic posture.
For commercial space companies, this development could lead to increased collaboration with the government, opening new avenues for business and technological advancements. The resulting partnerships may drive innovation, improve supply chain resilience, and strengthen the overall space ecosystem. Moreover, this initiative underscores the growing interdependence between commercial entities and governmental agencies, fostering a more integrated approach to space exploration and security.
As the Space Force continues to refine CASR and engage with industry stakeholders, the broader community can anticipate enhanced technological integration and improved readiness for space-related challenges. This initiative not only supports national defense but also stimulates economic growth and innovation within the commercial space sector.