Space is no longer simply a benign setting for discrete tasks like launching rockets or managing satellites. Today, space is a contested and complex environment where decisions must take into account uncertainty, the actions of potential adversaries and the resulting impacts on civilian, commercial and national security systems.
For years, Aerospace’s technical guidance has ensured that systems work correctly and produce reliable results. Building on that legacy, Aerospace is working to create detailed analysis capabilities to evaluate various options, assess risks across multiple future scenarios and understand how different system designs perform in competitive and contested environments. This evolved approach, known as Dynamic Space Operations (DSO), broadens the analytical framework to support more strategic decision-making while aligning with the current administration’s national security strategy for space. Furthermore, Aerospace continues to affirm its commitment to DSO, in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) and related fields by actively supporting initiatives like the Consortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities (COSMIC).
“Space is at an inflection point,” said Bryan Hoke, corporate technical fellow for DSO at Aerospace. “We’re entering an era where innovation, competition and collaboration are accelerating simultaneously, opening new possibilities and reshaping how the space domain is used and understood, and Aerospace is helping understand the best, quickest path through that transformation.”
Navigating a Contested Space Domain
DSO is an approach to operating in space that emphasizes flexibility, resilience and speed as space becomes more crowded and competitive. Rather than relying on rigid systems or fixed plans, DSO focuses on technologies and capabilities that increase our ability to act more frequently, more quickly and over time. Examples of these flexibilities are dynamic mission planning, rapid reconfiguration of space assets, and adaptable logistics — combining technological innovation with tactical and procedural flexibility — to ensure operational superiority and sustained readiness in the face of emerging threats.
By systematically evaluating cost-effectiveness trade-offs across different architectures and operational concepts, Aerospace can help customers understand not just what is technically feasible, but what is most advantageous under specific strategic conditions. This shift reflects a recognition that in a contested domain, adaptability and informed choice are as critical as technical performance.
Investing in the Future
Aerospace is committed to enabling increased operational flexibility and resilience in space and will pursue several interrelated lines of effort to advance DSO. Among them is the development of a comparative tool to evaluate architectures that enable orbital maneuver capacity via refueling, reconstitution or proliferation/prepositioning.
In parallel, Aerospace will incorporate enabling capabilities by weaving external advancements such as Space Domain Awareness (SDA), Battle Management Command, Control, and Communications (BMC3) and autonomy into its strategy. By maintaining strong collaborative channels with government, civil and international partners, Aerospace will continually identify emerging capabilities to support our customer’s key operational objectives, further accelerating the development and deployment of critical new technologies.
Complementing these efforts, a dedicated Corporate Technical Fellow will synchronize internal activities — ensuring that educational initiatives, outreach, and technical development echo Aerospace’s overarching mission and consistently integrate DSO concepts across teams.
Strategizing for a Multifaceted Frontier
As DSO efforts within Aerospace mature, its implications will extend well beyond internal analysis. For government partners, industry leaders and allied stakeholders, DSO represents a more flexible, adaptable, and resilient path to navigate an increasingly complex space environment. By pairing impartial technical expertise with scenario-driven insight, Aerospace is uniquely positioned to serve as a strategic enabler of a resilient and secure U.S. space enterprise by helping it make smarter choices in the face of uncertainty.
“DSO reflects Aerospace’s commitment to innovation and resilience, igniting a future where bold technical leaps unleash new capabilities and forge lasting partnerships,” said Hoke. “We are striving to produce frameworks that enable rapid decision making in the DSO landscape, bringing substantiation to the debates that surround DSO implementation questions. This is an exciting new way to view space acquisition and operations, and we invite everyone to join us on this remarkable journey.”
