A Review on Education and Training Needs for Military Space Operations

Abstract

Space is a dynamic and rapidly evolving domain, driven by the increased engagement across the commercial, scientific, governmental and military sectors. Particularly, operations in low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) play a vital role in sustaining infrastructures for daily on-Earth activities, e.g., global positioning system (GPS) and 5G. In 2019, a significant milestone was reached with the adoption of NATO’s Space Policy, officially recognizing space as a distinct operational domain alongside land, air, sea and cyberspace. This integration positioned space capabilities as an integral part to military strategies, supplying vital information for secure operations. Due to the growing dependency of space infrastructures, military personnel must be trained to be able to effectively operate space assets and to be prepared for hostile or environmental calamities. This paper conducted a state-of-the-art analysis of military training needs in the realm of space. A literature review was made, encompassing the current scientific literature in space training, with the latest topics from several space agendas outlined by relevant organizations and countries. In addition, interviews were conducted, complemented by surveys, in order to identify the current training gaps and areas for improvement. The findings identified several research gaps and needs related to training and education tools, with a specific emphasis on the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM) topics. These recommendations were particularly addressed to the recognizing and mitigating of potential calamities, a concern heightened by the dense presence of satellites in the Earth's orbit. Additionally, a training gap was identified within the use of satellite images for Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) activities. These activities play a vital role in supporting military operations with their decision-making processes, by improving situational awareness on land, in air, and at sea. Finally, suggestions were made regarding the use of the latest technological tools.