As Australia prepares to update its National Defence Strategy, Space Command is actively exploring options for establishing „space control” capabilities, signaling a strategic shift in its approach to national security, according to Brigadier General Christopher Gardiner, the Australian Embassy’s space and cyber attaché.
Defining Australia’s Role in Space
Speaking at a US Air and Space Force Association event, Brig. Gen. Gardiner highlighted the importance of defining Australia’s contribution to space defense, emphasizing collaboration and partnership. „With space control, [we’re] looking at … how do we as Australia best contribute not only to the defense of Australia and our immediate region, but then also [to] a credible capability, cooperatively within a partnership?” he stated.
Ground-Based Solutions and Integrated Approach
Gardiner suggested that achieving space control might involve terrestrial-based effectors and sensors, contributing to a broader space mission area. This aligns with Space Command’s four key focus areas: space domain awareness, satellite communications (SATCOM), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and space control. The Defence Department has pledged a significant investment of $5.9 to $7.9 billion over the next decade for military space programs, according to reports from last November.
Concept SELENE: A Framework for Space Operations
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has developed Concept SELENE, a framework guiding space operations. Gardiner explained that Concept SELENE acknowledges the necessity of partnerships to build a resilient space architecture due to limited sovereign resources.
Leveraging Commercial and Allied Capabilities
Mirroring the US Space Force’s acquisition strategy, Australian Space Command prioritizes leveraging commercial activities, partnering with allies, and only then developing its own space systems. This approach emphasizes efficiency and collaboration.
Space Control Defined: Assuring Access and Disrupting Adversaries
While Concept SELENE remains unreleased, the Royal Australian Army’s journal, The Cove, has published articles referencing its core principles. One article quoted Concept SELENE stating the ADF „will seek space advantage to enable freedom of action by temporally assuring access and disrupting or denying an adversary use of the space domain, as required.” Another September 7 article in „Signalling the Future: Royal Australian Corps of Signals and the Next Century of Australian Space Power,” elaborated that space control operations are becoming increasingly important to protect Australia’s freedom of action in space and encompass defensive and offensive counterspace measures.
Progress in Other Key Areas
Gardiner noted progress in other focus areas, including the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability for space domain awareness and advancements in ISR programs. Australia’s cooperative satellite activities with the National Reconnaissance Office, as mentioned by former Defence Minister Peter Dutton in 2022, also contribute to ISR capabilities.
SATCOM Investment and Future Plans
While the Australian government faced criticism for canceling the JP 9102 SATCOM program, it has since issued a request for information (RFI) for a downsized replacement, SPA9102. The July RFI indicates a need for a UHF-band payload and explores options beyond a bespoke-built SATCOM network, potentially including hosted payloads or leveraging allied constellations. The Asian Military Review reported on July 8, that „Defence has a need for a UHF-band payload in a GEO orbital slot within the field-of-view of Australia” from the RFI.
Alignment with National Defence Strategy Review
The ongoing development of space capabilities is synchronized with the review of the National Defence Strategy, ensuring a cohesive approach to national security. According to Gardiner, the strategy will be updated in 2026, following a comprehensive review process aligned with the Integrated Investment Program.
