Space Sensing

Space Sensing (SN) is the program executive office within Space Systems Command responsible for delivering persistent, resilient all-domain awareness, directly enabling the warfighter to deter, defend, and win. The directorate leads the acquisition, development, and sustainment of missile warning, tracking, and defense (MW/MT/MD), space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM), and other strategic and tactical sensing capabilities.

Space Sensing is accelerating the pace of innovation through partnerships with the commercial space industry, traditional and non-traditional defense contractors, academia, and international partners.

Deliver persistent space sensing for integrated all domain awareness to deter, defend, and win.

Space-based missile warning is a foundational capability of the United States Space Force: It is our unblinking eye with the singular purpose of detecting and tracking missile activity across the globe.
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Space Sensing was established to accelerate the pace of innovation, in response to emerging threats such as hypersonic weapons that put our missile warning, tracking, and defense capabilities at risk.

Areas of focus include disaggregating missile warning satellite systems for greater resiliency, advancing sensor-to-shooter capabilities through more sensitive infrared sensor technology, strengthening resiliency with next-generation overhead persistent infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) technology, modernizing missile warning ground systems, and integrating digital automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to assess and evaluate the ability of various sensor designs to meet missile tracking requirements.

Prevail Against The Threat

The speed and determination of our adversaries compels us to fundamentally change how we deliver space power. Each of us should know and understand the threats (both the ones our systems target, as well as those that target our systems) to ensure our systems can defeat todays and tomorrow’s enemy.

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Lead End-To-End Mission Integration

Success hinges on how well we deliver a unified and resilient architecture in collaboration with interagency, industry, and international partners. Leading integration is a core competency, which each of us must be proficient, across all levels and all functions, both internal and external to our organization. Lead on!

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Drive Focused Warfighter Commitment

It is our responsibility to deliver world-class systems that can be leveraged to their fullest. We must forge strong working-level relationships with our operational counterparts to understand their needs and limitations, as well as find realistic solutions to operational challenges by incorporating feedback early and often.

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Cultivate a Modern, Digital, World Class Workforce

Mission success starts and ends with our People. Each one of us must be dedicated to building a Space Sensing culture that celebrates personal and professional growth, diversity and inclusion, and digital-fluency.

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Innovation in environmental monitoring and persistent tactical surveillance also falls under the Space Sensing PEO. Areas of focus include building resiliency by spreading capabilities across more satellites, advancing terrestrial weather monitoring capabilities to better inform warfighters of theater conditions, and enhancing space situational awareness and environmental monitoring capabilities to track the impact of space weather on communication, navigation, and monitoring systems.

For more information and to get involved, contact SSCFrontDoor@spaceforce.mil

Click here for the Space Sensing FACT SHEET

Space Sensing

Overview