WASHINGTON — At a time when space is more congested and contested, Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, delivered a blunt assessment of the hurdles facing the military’s youngest branch.
Speaking Oct. 23 via video from the Pentagon to the MilSat Symposium in Mountain View, California, Guetlein laid out the Space Force’s top concerns, from rival powers developing anti-satellite weapons to the difficulties of working with private companies in an increasingly militarized space environment.
Guetlein emphasized that space is evolving into a central domain of warfare, with threats from adversaries like China and Russia mounting. This shift means that the Space Force can no longer act alone and needs to establish closer ties with allies and commercial firms. “We’d better start figuring out how to partner better and how to get unity of effort,” Guetlein said.
He addressed industry frustrations over conflicting messages from different parts of the U.S. government and the assumption that the Pentagon has limitless funding.
“We all have our own opinions,” Guetlein said of Pentagon leadership, Congress, and the Space Force itself. “Our objective is to make sure those messages are aligned, but oftentimes we get separated from each other.” Companies should not expect perfect consistency in government communications, he emphasized.
The general was also quick to dispel a common misconception among defense contractors. “There are no big buckets of money that sit behind my desk, contrary to popular belief,” he said. Like the rest of the Department of Defense, the Space Force is in the midst of a resource battle, trying to meet growing demand for space capabilities with a limited budget. “We are also fighting a resource battle at the same time that we are trying to pave the path to the future,” he said.
Rapid pace of change
In today’s space environment, it’s easy to fall behind, Guetlein noted. He stressed that anyone who has been out of the industry for more than a year is likely behind the curve. “That is the rate of change that we are experiencing in space,” he warned.
Much of that change is driven by rivals like China, which is rapidly developing sophisticated networks in space that are resilient to attacks, and Russia, which is reportedly developing space-based nuclear weapons. “We never thought we’d have to worry about nukes in space, but here we are,” Guetlein said.
The growing list of threats includes direct-ascent weapons, designed to shoot down satellites, jammers, and even robotic satellites with offensive capabilities. Guetlein pointed to increasingly “unsafe and unprofessional behavior” from adversaries. “When you look at the norms we are starting to see in space today, it is very disturbing.”
Private sector and government disconnect
Part of the solution, according to Guetlein, lies in closer collaboration between the military and private companies. While the DoD once had a monopoly on cutting-edge technology, those days are over. “We didn’t need to rely on anybody else,” he said, but now the Space Force must leverage commercial innovation to stay ahead.
Yet, forging these partnerships is far from straightforward. Some in the private sector have voiced frustrations about the slow pace of government contracting and mixed signals from different parts of the defense establishment. Many companies, particularly startups, face uncertainty about how and when contracts will be awarded. And some commercial players mistakenly assume that the Pentagon’s requests for information signal immediate opportunities when, in fact, the timeline for actual contracts can stretch far into the future.
Private equity investors echoed these concerns during a panel discussion at the MilSat Symposium. Jonathan Lusczakoski, vice president of AE Industrial Partners, said satellite manufacturers are hampered by shortages of key components, often caused by industry consolidation. Lusczakoski called for the government to provide more consistent demand signals to the market, rather than creating sudden spikes and drops in orders.
Tom Gillespie, managing partner of In-Q-Tel, agreed that while the Space Force has made some significant contract awards, they are not enough to help companies scale. “There’s still a long way to go,” Gillespie said, adding that more certainty in government procurement would help venture-backed startups secure private investment.
Timur Davis of Munich RE Ventures pointed out that many startups are heavily dependent on securing government contracts to remain solvent. He said the Space Force has improved its contracting process, but “there’s still a bit of a way to go.” Companies need faster and more transparent processes, Davis said, so they can bring private investment into the sector.
Commercial augmentation debate
One of the most ambitious efforts to align commercial capabilities with military needs is the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR). The program is designed to boost the Space Force’s capacity during crises by relying on private companies for additional resources, such as satellite communications. However, some in the industry still seem unaware of this initiative.
“I was surprised that there are still pockets that are not hearing about it,” Guetlein said. CASR is modeled after the Air Force’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), in which airlines commit to provide aircraft to the military during national emergencies.
“We know that the capacity we’re going to need during times of crisis or conflict far exceeds the capacity that we have today during peacetime,” Guetlein explained. But the Space Force can’t afford to maintain that extra capacity full-time. Instead, CASR seeks to incentivize private companies to make their capabilities available in times of need.
Seeking partnerships
Guetlein reiterated the Space Force is committed to greater transparency with its commercial and international partners. The branch has published a commercial space strategy and plans to release an allied space strategy next spring. “This drives unprecedented levels of transparency, which is why I am here with you today,” he said.
The goal is to build “hybrid architectures” that integrate both allied and commercial capabilities. The Space Force is already seeking partnerships in areas like satellite communications, space domain awareness, and space-based environmental monitoring.
For the private sector, the challenge is ensuring that their products can meet military needs. “What are you bringing into the fight?” Guetlein asked. “Is it feasible? Is it more than just PowerPoint? Is it resilient by design?”
The road ahead is fraught with obstacles, he said, but the stakes are high. If we lose leadership in space, it is going to be a bad day for all of us.”
