Can private corporations offer a chance to respond? To the new challenges in space?

 

“SpaceX launched the NROL-179 mission for the U.S. government early Friday morning (June 19) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (Image credit: SpaceX) (Space.com, SpaceX launches new batch of US spy satellites from California (video))

SpaceX  launched NRO recon satellites from Vandenberg. Details of those satellites are classified. But because NRO operates reconnaissance satellites. Those satellites’ mission is  connected to intelligence operations. This means that the U.S. strengthens its spaceborne abilities. 

But that launch itself. It causes discussions. About the role of Elon Musk and the SpaceX corporation in governmental operations. Those satellites play a vital role in space-based targeting and other types of missions. And they offer the ability. To see things that are hidden from other actors. The space gives SpaceX the possibility to rule those areas. And people are concerned about the strength. Of the SpaceX corporation. 

NASA attempts to save the SWIFT telescope. It can also have dimensions. That we ever imagined. The Katalyst corporation is the actor behind the satellite. That should do the mission. 

The same rockets that can transport things.Like satellites to space. They can also be used to carry killer satellites. NASA plans to launch. A miniature satellite that takes the Swift telescope by using manipulators. The satellite can push the SWIFT telescope into the right trajectory.  By using the hydraulic piston. The satellite can also use manipulators to throw the telescope. Or a miniature satellite. It can be used as a space tug. That pulls the damaged telescope to the right trajectory. The satellite that should do that mission is made  by the Katalyst corporation. 

And the knowledge of the satellites' trajectories is the thing. That allows them to affect them. And we know that the same system. That can push  space telescopes. Into another trajectory. That system can also throw other satellites into the atmosphere. This makes the attempt to rescue the space telescope by using another satellite. That will be launched by using the Pegasus rocket. The Pegasus is an airborne-launched system. That rocket. It can transport a small satellite to the orbiter. And the satellite. It can use similar systems. These are used in the case of the Swift telescope. For pushing the targeted satellite back into the atmosphere. And those kinds of systems. 

The mission profile for that service flight. For the rescue SWIFT telescope. 

They can be used to find and affect killer satellites. Or. So-called sleeping FOBS (fractional orbital bombardment system) satellites. Those spaceborne nukes. They  can be used for surprise attacks. The FOBS satellite. It can be used as a nuclear-based EMP(electromagnetic pulse) system. In simulations. The EMP impulses can be used to prepare the opponent for a nuclear strike. The idea in those systems is that a high-power nuclear explosion at high altitude paralyzes electronics before the nuclear mass raid. In 1962, the high altitude nuclear test “Starfish Prime” was conducted above Honolulu. The 1,4 megaton exoatmospheric nuclear explosion caused electronics to be destroyed all around Honolulu. 

Modern electronics are more vulnerable to spaceborne nuclear explosions and their EMP pulses than 1960’s primitive technology. The EMP causes a situation. All communications are shut down. The jetfighters. They cannot rise to defense. And it’s possible that missiles cannot be launched because the EMP destroyed their electronics. Or the transmitters that should transmit launching signals are destroyed. The ability to find those FOBS satellites. It makes it possible to deny the surprise attacks using the sleeping nuclear detonation satellites. There is. The ability to push them into the atmosphere is the thing. That makes them unable to complete their missions. 

The problem with the nuclear-powered EMP is that. The 1,4 megaton hydrogen bomb is not the limit of those weapons. The EMP weapon. It can be much more powerful than the 1,4 megaton bomb. Used in Starfish Prime. The EMP satellites can also form a network all around the world. The large-scale EMP strike can have a destructive effect on fleet and ground-based infrastructure. 

Wikipedia says the Russian killer satellite program is like this: “Nivelir (Russian: "dumpy level"; Project 14K167) is a class of Russian military low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites widely believed to be co-orbital anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) with secondary space surveillance missions. The spacecraft are often compared to Matryoshka "nesting dolls". As each contains a smaller inspector subsatellite, which can itself. Deploy one or more kinetic kill vehicles (KKV).” Wikipedia, Nivelir) 

The first of those satellites was launched in 2022. And there is a possibility that the Russians plan to create Earth-orbiting nuclear-armed satellites. Those satellites can drop a nuclear bomb on cities. Or they can detonate their internal warheads in surprise attacks. Detonating those satellites is not very difficult. The system is like a high-tech car bomb. When that satellite is in the right position. The system. It gives a launching code. Then the nuclear warhead detonates. The only problem is that EMP also destroys friendly satellites. 

https://www.nro.gov/Portals/135/Documents/news/Press%20Kits/10463_Press%20Kit%20book_Launch_Pro-Arch179_6.11.26.pdf?ver=0v03xnXSpOK_ni7ywyhemw%3d%3d

https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2025/10/01/nasa-awards-30-million-to-katalyst-space-technologies-to-rescue-500-million-satellite/95080/

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-spy-satellite-launch-nrol-179-nro

https://www.the-sun.com/news/14598954/russian-killer-satellite-us-spacecraft/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional_Orbital_Bombardment_System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nivelir

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime

The Pentagon and SpaceX cooperation goes deeper.

Image: TWZ

The Pentagon and SpaceX cooperation goes deeper. When new deals are made with satellite-based early warning networks and the LUCAS Kamikaze-drone connection with Starlink. Will be turned. Into reality. That is the next step. To the Starlink and Pentagon cooperation. These types of plans also accelerate the militarization of space. The systems that track. Own troops. And guiding smart weapons. Are. Vital for successful military operations. That makes them high-potential targets for anti-satellite systems, ASATs. If those satellites can be shot down. That decreases the enemy's ability to control and command warfare. 

This means that those satellites must be equipped with self-defense systems. And those active systems can also be used to destroy other satellites. 

But the price is that. If the deliverer of the service. Shuts it down. So, there is no service. These kinds of deals raise the power. Of the private industry at the Pentagon. Those contracts. They fall into the hands of well-known, trusted service providers. That increases SpaceX's power in space. 

The Pentagon’s dependence on SpaceX continues to grow. The Pentagon awarded. A $4B contract with SpaceX to create a satellite network. The purpose of that network is to track aircraft and hypersonic missiles from space. The system should include the optical and radar systems, boosted with AI. The system can track any aircraft. From the atmosphere with a very high accuracy and speed. The system should replace the old E-3 Sentry AEW&C aircraft. The E-3 plays a vital role in tracking low-flying objects. But things like anti-radiation missiles can endanger that aircraft’s missions. 

It’s possible that things like drones with the lookdown radars and optical sensor packs can replace the E-3. And those systems can share information with the fighters, ships, and ground units. And connect sea, land, and airborne command posts to networks. That communicates. In real-time. With  the overseas military command centers. 

Image: TWZ

In the same way. Those E-3 “Sentrys” are not. A very good tool for tracking very high-altitude hypersonic missiles. That travels in the high atmosphere. This is the reason why a new global system is needed. That can get and share. 

Mission-critical information for AA and aircraft to destroy incoming hypersonic missiles. And this is the reason. A new satellite-based system is needed. The satellite network with optical sensors can replace the traditional GPS. The aircraft can send. The location information is transmitted to those optical satellites. Using laser rays. And then those satellites send the image. Of the flying area. The aircraft travels back to that aircraft using lasers. The laser dot shows the stealth fighter's position to the satellites. Those satellites will use AI and hivemind technology. For tracking and following targets. 

Another thing that is interesting. It is the connection between the Starlink systems. With LUCAS kamikaze drones. The Starlink satellite communication platform can replace the GPS. The system requires a map. It can connect with Starlink’s location information. Starlink uses a similar technology. To GPS. For tracking the transmitting modems. This makes it possible to control drones and other systems. Like the smart bombs to target with the GPS. This kind of technology. Created originally for the Ukraine war makes the GPS unnecessary. These kinds of systems are maybe planned to be used by the Pentagon to protect the GPS system for the nuclear weapon’s core operations. 

When the GPS is used. With a large-scale conventional weapon guidance, it’s possible that the opponent gets its frequencies. And that can mean that in the case of nuclear war. The enemy might know. The frequencies of the GPS. And tries to jam them. When some systems are used all the time. There is a possibility. That the enemy knows its details. There is a possibility that the enemy even tries to spoof the location information. And even tries to aim weapons at the opponent’s own targets. This means that the submarine can fire on its own cities. And this is one of the reasons why nuclear weapon control must be separated from other weapons. 

https://www.twz.com/space/pentagons-plans-to-track-aircraft-from-orbit-accelerated-with-new-4b-spacex-deal

https://www.twz.com/news-features/cost-to-link-lucas-kamikaze-drones-to-starlink-highlights-pentagons-ever-growing-dependence-on-spacex