Research Summaries

Back Critical Vulnerabilities in the Space Domain: Using Cube Satellites to Protect the Modern American Way of War

Fiscal Year 2017
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Space Systems Academic Group
Investigator(s) Swintek, Philip
Sponsor Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center-Pacific (Navy)
Summary Across the globe, the modern way of life is enabled by advanced technology that provides real-time communication, flawless navigation, and troves of data at one's fingertips. Akin to the rest of society, modern governments and militaries depend on this same technology to function, much of which is enabled by space-based technology. The United States military is no exception, and satellites orbiting the Earth greatly empower the American way of war and enable special operations forces across the globe. However, critics argue that the U.S. is highly reliant on this technology and increasingly vulnerable as a result. The question therefore arises: given that the American way of war is now inexorably linked to space-based technology and thus increasingly vulnerable, how could the U.S. build a stockpile of Cube Satellites (CubeSats) ready for launch as a short-term solution to prepare for and protect against adversaries capable of exploiting such vulnerabilities? To fully answer this question, the depth of the problem must be understood, existing safeguards reviewed, and the feasibility and applicability of CubeSats tested. By coupling a research-based methodology with scientific testing and modeling, a solution to the American military's high reliance on space-based technology will emerge. This research aims to test the feasibility of using CubeSats to solve this startling problem.
Keywords Anti-satellite capabilities Critical Vulnerabilities Cube Satellites (CubeSat) Space-based Technology
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal