To counterspace threats, the US will conduct its first-ever in-orbit military exercise
In anticipation of future combat operations beyond Earth, the US military will shortly undertake the first-ever in-orbit combat training.
Making history in the process, the Space System Command (SSC) will set up the first of this technology. Its objective is to equip the US military to fight anywhere in the world.
Regarding this innovation, SSC made a statement on Thursday, April 11. It described how the Space Force has signed contracts with two commercial space companies for the ‘Victus Hedge’ mission, which is expected to be completed by autumn 2025.
The command has an agreement with Rocket Lab National Security and True Anomaly to deliver spacecraft that can run the stations as part of Mission “Victus Hedge.” “The Jackal” from True Anomaly and an unnamed Rocket Lab vessel will be these two spacecraft. These will demonstrate that the US orbit force can respond effectively to any suspicious activities in orbit in a real-world operational situation.
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded Rocket Lab National Security a contract for Rs 2.67 crore, according to a statement from the Space Force. Furthermore, the expedition would need a total of Rs 50 crore, of which the US government will fund half and True Anomaly the other half.
“The commercial space industry is developing at a never-before-seen rate, giving the Space Force more choices to react swiftly to hostile acts,” said Lt. Col. MacKenzie Birchenough, SSC material leader for Space Safari. Victus Haze will assist Combatant Command’s pressing demands for on-orbit capabilities by showcasing and validating capabilities that might be used to future TacRS missions.
Col. Bryon McClain, the SSC’s program executive officer for Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power, said that the agency is keen to use the developments in the commercial space sector to counter China’s growing danger to the United States. “The world’s most inventive space industry is found in the United States. Victus Haze will show how we may react to reckless behavior in orbit in an operationally realistic setting,” he said.
This historic expedition is a significant development and fortifies defenses against potential space-based threats. As the world enters a new era of space exploration and competition, the US Space Force’s readiness to meet emerging threats in space sends a powerful message of resolve and reinforces the nation’s commitment to sustaining peace and stability on the highest possible level.
