The U.S. Space Force is planning a nationwide network of resilient operations centers to maintain military space missions during wartime attacks [1].
This initiative marks a shift toward distributed operations after recent military exercises demonstrated that centralized space capabilities are vulnerable to targeted destruction. By spreading command and control across multiple sites, the military aims to prevent a single point of failure from crippling its orbital assets.
The proposal is part of the fiscal year 2027 budget, which requests $71 billion [1]. A primary component of this expansion includes a new space operations center at Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, with a proposed cost of $250 million [2].
The move follows lessons learned from Operation Epic Fury, where space capabilities were targeted and destroyed for the first time. These events highlighted a critical need for distributed operations, and electronic warfare sites to ensure continuity of command [3].
"We've seen in Operation Epic Fury, for the first time, that our space capabilities have been targeted and destroyed," Brig. Gen. Christopher Fernengel said. "We expect that to happen more" [3].
The Space Force intends for these centers to be geographically dispersed across the United States. This distribution is designed to ensure that if one installation is compromised by an enemy attack, other centers can absorb the mission load without a loss of operational capability [1].
This structural change reflects a broader transition in military strategy, moving away from large, static targets toward a more flexible and survivable architecture. The focus remains on maintaining the resilience of satellite communications and GPS services, which are vital for both domestic security and global military operations [1, 3].
“The U.S. Space Force is planning a nationwide network of resilient operations centers to maintain military space missions during wartime attacks.”
The shift toward a distributed network of operations centers indicates that the U.S. military now views space as a contested combat domain rather than a sanctuary. By investing in redundancy and geographical dispersion, the Space Force is preparing for a high-intensity conflict where traditional, centralized command hubs are likely targets for kinetic or cyber attacks.
