RAND is conducting a one-year study for the U.S. Space Force to evaluate the commercial space industry’s capabilities and identify space platforms that could be of benefit to the service branch, SpaceNews reported Saturday.
RAND will look at on-orbit satellite servicing, satellite-based communications, space situational awareness, remote sensing and other sectors of the commercial space industry. The nonprofit think tank will also identify potential risks of using such commercial platforms, including cyber vulnerabilities of commercial satellites.
The study is “intended to speed up the modernization of space capabilities in the Space Force,” a spokeswoman for the service told the publication.
Maj. Gen. William Liquori, head of strategic requirements at the Space Force, commissioned RAND in October to carry out the study, which is expected to conclude in September.
