National Space Council Seeks Clarifications Over Role in Protecting US Space Interests

Chirag Parikh, executive secretary of the National Space Council, said that the organization might soon sit down and talk about its role in protecting the United States’ interests in space.

At the 2024 GEOINT Symposium held in Florida on Wednesday, Parikh said that the NSC has been working with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense to better understand where the council stands on the tug-of-war between military officials and intelligence agency leaders using GEOINT.

Parikh proposed adopting a similar marketplace to the Space Systems Command that allows it to tap into commercial satellite data, ensuring everyone that needs GEOINT receives it at their desired time, SpaceNews reported.

The suggestion is not the first time commercial GEOINT providers have been considered to supply needed information. In January, the NGA sought proposals to gain information on potential vendors capable of supplying commercial satellite imagery and data analytics to improve its capabilities.

The discussion on the role of the NSC in military space and intelligence comes as the two communities are debating who should take over the proposed Ground Moving Target Indicator program, a satellite constellation capable of tracking moving targets on the ground.