How Space Force simulates cyberthreats to protect US satellites

(NewsNation) — Is America ready to fight a war in outer space? Despite what you may be thinking, it most likely won’t be against UFOs.

NewsNation got an exclusive look at a Space Force base in Colorado where service members are simulating a space race against China to prepare for possible future conflicts.

Four years ago, President Donald Trump unveiled Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. military. At first, it was the butt of jokes, and there was even a Netflix parody show.

Critics might have been laughing then, but Space Force has emerged as perhaps one of the most important branches of the military.

During a recent trip to Peterson and Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, NewsNation got a look inside what is called the “aggressor barn.” The service men and women inside are called “Space Force aggressors” who replicate a situation U.S. forces may face.

“Whatever the training objective may be, their goal is to replicate as accurately as possible what a threat could look like in a conflict,” Capt. Sebastian Moore explained.

The biggest threats right now when it comes to space are China and Russia, but especially China.
The Space Force aggressors demonstrated how, with somewhat basic, inexpensive equipment, adversaries can block satellite signals. A Garmin GPS was deactivated with just the flip of a switch on one machine.

“They could take out an entire airport for just a few thousand dollars,” Moore said.

More sophisticated equipment can do even more damage.

China or even more primitive adversaries like terror groups can — and have tried before — block U.S. satellite signals that beam back important surveillance images. Stopping that, which Space Force does well, is why they’ve become so important for every branch of the military and every single American.

Satellites power phones, electrical grids and more.

“I think the next war will be cyber and in space,” Chief Martha Burkhead said. “It’s not … aliens coming and people shooting like ‘Star Trek’ and stuff like that, but (people’s) everyday life could change. Can you imagine not being able to access your money or your phone, your phone not working at all? Our whole lives could change.”

Source link