Influencing Satellite Design for MILSATCOM Payload Operations through All Levels of Conflict

Current military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) systems are relatively simple signal repeaters, and do not call for complicated control mechanisms on the spacecraft. Starting in the 1990s, however, MILSATCOM systems may well move towards a "switchboard in the sky" design, which should make use of sophisticated systems on board the satellite (complemented by terrestrially based systems) to control the communications payload throughout all levels of conflict. The operational DOD community has had little experience in planning for the management of highly automated communications satellites. This paper presents a methodology for MILSATCOM payload operations to influence the design of the next generation of space communications satellites in a way that would facilitate communications management during all levels of conflict.