Space Security and Defense Program

The Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP) is a joint effort between the Department of Defense (DoD), United States Space Force (USSF), and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to enhance the resilience of the National Security Space (NSS) Enterprise. The program aims to provide protection competency for space security, offering materiel and non-materiel strategies to mitigate space threats. SSDP conducts rigorous analyses to understand and address red counterspace threats, develop space protection solutions, and share threat analyses across the NSS enterprise. Its objectives include defending legacy architecture, pivoting to offense, preparing for future fights, and improving space mission resilience. The program also focuses on digital engineering capabilities, modeling and simulation, and knowledge management infrastructure to support NSS stakeholders.

In FY 2023, SSDP completed activities aligned with its objectives, including foundational work to drive threat assessments, inform space control force designs, and emphasize digital engineering through Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) products. The program also made progress in informing investments for defending legacy capabilities, survivability for next-generation satellites, and offensive force designs. Additionally, SSDP's efforts contributed to improving space mission resilience and identifying new technology solutions for increased resiliency of NSS space platforms. In FY 2024, SSDP plans to continue addressing NSS stakeholder priorities across survivability and defense, offensive space control, and preparing for the future fight. The program will invest in digital engineering capabilities for USSF force design activities and continue developing analytic capabilities to support NSS Enterprise stakeholders.

Overall, the Space Security and Defense Program aims to advance the landscape of space protection by providing crucial protection competency for national security missions in both peacetime and conflict phases. Its activities encompass rigorous threat assessments, development of space protection solutions, sharing threat analyses across the NSS enterprise, and investing in digital engineering capabilities to support USSF force design activities.