Deputy Defense Secretary: US Remains Committed to De-escalate Space Conflict

Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of defense, said the United States remains committed to preventing any conflict in space or anywhere else, highlighting to its adversaries that conflict does not provide any benefit.

Speaking at an event in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Wednesday, Hicks said the Department of Defense has launched a growing constellation of small, resilient and more affordable satellites to help the government’s effort to prevent conflict in space.

China has been working to double its space launches and increase the number of payloads it sends into orbit, the Defense Department said.

The U.S. government has been investing in solutions to help de-escalate conflict in space. In February 2023, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Raytheon Technologies and General Dynamics Mission Systems completed a demonstration of software for the deconfliction of friendly missiles.

The federal government is also partnering with the commercial space sector to ensure operational success. U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve ensures the service has the needed resources at times of crisis or conflict.