Space

Space Security

Ensuring Security in Space

There is an ongoing revolution in the space economy with a decrease in launch costs driving new ventures and broadening U.S. Government options with small spacecraft. We need to leverage every advantage to assure that U.S. space capabilities endure and negate or surpass those of our adversaries.

We focus on analyzing potential capabilities for space-based conflict and space domain awareness — the ability to locate, track, and characterize satellites. As space becomes crowded with more satellites, it becomes an increasingly important and challenging mission.

Members of space security team monitor a satellite’s orbit around earth.

Members of space security team monitor a satellite’s orbit around earth.

Square building with round, white dome on top.

Observatory

At our dedicated observatory on campus, we test new sensing concepts for space domain awareness. Originally built in the late 1980s to house a repurposed, Apollo-era, solar telescope from NASA, the observatory now features an automated dome and a sky sensor that can be remotely operated. Many technologies that were first tested here are now orbiting in space.

Victus Haze

We are building an optical space domain awareness payload for an upcoming mission by the U.S. Space Force. It will demonstrate the ability to rapidly characterize an on-orbit threat using LLNL’s monolithic telescope technology. We will build, qualify and integrate its optical payload with the satellite in time for launch in fall 2025.

Learn more about Victus Haze

White airplane on ground with stars streaking across sky behind it.

Credit: U.S. Space Force

Three people in white clean room garments pose in front oa a small satellite device

GEOSTARE

Between 2018 and 2021m we developed payloads for two small Terran Orbital satellites (GEOSTARE and GEOSTARE 2), each about the size of a shoebox. Both payloads carried powerful LLNL monolith telescopes for compact imaging capabilities for space-domain awareness. The next generation of this small satellite technology is planned to launch in 2025 with three monolith telescopes.

Learn more about GEOSTARE

Space News

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The Global Security Directorate at LLNL offers a diverse, collaborative environment where multidisciplinary teams work together to support the Lab’s mission and address a range of global and national security needs. Find impactful careers, talented teams and a great company culture.

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