TOPIC SPONSORS: USSF/IGIE & SPOC/2SWS/DOC & 2 ROPS
How can the US military best take advantage of the domestic space industry to enhance its capabilities (both technologically and in terms of infrastructure/economics)? How can the USAF integrate its launch infrastructure across both the Eastern and Western ranges to optimize and better partner with industry? What are the limitations and advantages of partnering with industry for launch on DoD facilities? (i.e. access, FPCON levels, prioritization, cost sharing, etc) What structure should launch and range take in the United States? (2 ROPS)
- Aglubat, Maj. Eric J., "Enhancing C3 for Mobility Aircraft: The Promise and Pitfalls of Starshield," AFGC thesis, 2025, 45 pgs.
- Aglubat argues that rather than relying solely on government-built systems, the military must leverage the commercial space sector—specifically proliferated low-Earth orbit (pLEO) constellations like SpaceX's Starshield—to offload research, development, and deployment costs. By combining the massive bandwidth and coverage of commercial systems with the secure, protected networks of organic military systems, the DOD can achieve optimal resilience. To make this collaboration work without compromising national security, he recommends negotiating strict agreements that transfer some of the constellation's command-and-control functions from SpaceX directly to the U.S. Space Force.
- Arrington, Gabe and Justin Chandler, "The Nature of Warfare Just Changed," Air Force Fellows Paper, 2022, 3 pgs.
- Bibow, Lt. Col. Lars, "Space System Architectures: How to Improve the Resilience of the German Armed Forces Space communication Services," AWC PSP, 2022, 45 pgs.
- Brown, Lt. Col. Rhett, "Legal Property Rights in Space: Implications for the US Space Force and the Outer Space Treaty," AWC PSP, 2020, 22 pgs.
- Cohan, Maj. Geoff, "Reviving SpaceCRAF: The Commercial Agreement for the US Space Enterprise," ACSC Schriever paper, 2020, 30 pgs. Prize winner: Outstanding Military Studies Award
- Garlisi, Capt. Charles, "Development of a Satellite Combat Bus," SOS AUAR paper, 2020, 8 pgs.
- Green, Ms. Janis, "United Space: Military and Commercial Sectors Working Together to Harness Innovation in Space Research and Development," ACSC thesis, 2020, 30 pgs.
- Haun, Major Derek, "US Civil-Military Space Relations—Implications for the National Space Council Informed by the Air Coordinating Committee (1945-1960)," SAASS thesis, 2022, 88 pgs.
- Pambianchi, Major Johan and Major Jason Holt, "Advancing America's Space Characterization Ecosystem: An Organizational, Technological and Data-Driven Approach to Addressing Tomorrow's Space Conflicts," ACSC Paper, 2021, 118 pgs. PRIZE: Spaatz
- Ray, Maj. Julie N., "Keeping Commercial Space in the Fight," SAASS thesis, 2023, 75 pgs.
- Reis, Capt. Christopher, "A Distributed Test and Training Range for Space," SOS AUAR paper, 2020, 8 pgs.
- Van, Maj. Tan, "Space Tourism: Is the US Ready?," ACSC paper, 2020, 25 pgs.