WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force in early 2023 floated the idea of establishing a “commercial space reserve” that would allow the military to quickly tap private satellite operators during a conflict.
Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said the Space Force is in the midst of figuring out how to establish such a commercial reserve, which will require intricate negotiations with satellite operators to hash out binding agreements.
Speaking April 24 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Guetlein said the military’s reliance on private sector contractors during past wars underscores the historical significance of its relationship with industry, and that dynamic that should extend to space operations through the envisioned commercial reserve.
“If you look at our industry partners from the Civil War all the way forward, our industry partners have always been there. And they’re always the ones that have pulled us out of the fire when the fighting got tough. They’re the ones that made sure we had all the material that we needed and helped take care of the homeland when we were deployed forward,” Guetlein said.
“So it’s not a new lesson that we’re learning. But it’s a lesson that has become more acute with space,” he added.
CASR program
Guetlein was an early proponent of what the Space Force calls the “Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve,” or CASR.
He said efforts to implement CASR are moving forward, fueled by the realization that when the U.S. military goes to war, the commercial satellites it uses for communications, surveillance or other purposes are considered legitimate military targets.
“Russia has said anybody in space is going to be a target,” said Guetlein. “So I can no longer say that’s a commercial asset. Don’t touch it. That’s an international asset. Don’t touch it. That’s a DoD asset. Don’t touch it. We’re all going to be operating in…
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