This magazine examines the rapid militarization and strategic utilization of space across orbital, lunar, and deep-space domains. It covers satellite systems, space-based surveillance, launch architectures, space situational awareness, and emerging doctrines shaping space as a contested operational theater.
By integrating technological advances with defense policy, geopolitical signaling, and future exploration pathways, this section provides intelligence-driven insight into how space capabilities are redefining national security, deterrence, and global power projection.
Constellations of satellites are being proposed in large numbers; most of them are expected to be in orbit within the next decade. They will provide communication to unserved and underserved communities, enable global monitoring of Earth and enhance space observation.…
Space is becoming more dynamic than ever with mega-constellations, multi-orbit satellites, and software-defined payloads. The world’s demand for broadband connectivity has created a new generation of high-throughput satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and now low…
Substantially more spectrum bandwidth is available at the Ka band than at the Ku band and other lower frequencies. For example, Ku band allocation is around 2GHz for uplink and 1.3GHz for downlink with actual contiguous bandwidth allocation of less…
Remote sensing is the science of acquiring information about the Earth’s surface without actually being in contact with it. This is done by sensing and recording reflected or emitted energy and processing, analyzing, and applying that information. Some examples of…
The small satellite is one of the fast growing sectors in space industries. Small satellites usually refer to satellites below 500 kg, including minisatellite (100–500 kg), microsatellite (10–100 kg), nanosatellite (1–10 kg), picosatellite (0.1–1 kg), and femtosatellite (<0.1 kg). …
The constant growth of interest in high-speed wireless communications causes the search for new solutions and new types of radio access networks. Although more than half of the global population is already connected to the Internet, there is still a…
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. The benefit of a satellite communications…
Deep-space and long-duration missions, where both crew members and spacecraft no longer benefit from the protection of Earth’s magnetic fields, are considered high risk for adverse radiation impacts. Aircraft flying at altitude, at about 30,000 feet and above, also are…
The solar cells produce electrical power (current) from incident sunlight. However, individual solar cells generate very little power. So, in order to generate more power, a group of cells that are present in an array form can be used. Solar…
Over the past three years, SpaceX has deployed thousands of satellites into low-Earth orbit as part of its business to beam high-speed internet service from space. But the company’s latest deployment of 49 new satellites after a Feb. 2021 launch…