- Australia’s Defence Space Command began its support for the Joint Task Force – Space Defense Commercial Operations (JCO) network on September 1, 2023.
- The involvement allows Australia to leverage its geographical advantages for global space domain awareness, with Major Thomas Bittner as the first accredited operator.
September 1, 2023, RAAF Base Edinburgh, Australia – Australia’s Defence Space Command has officially commenced its support for the Joint Task Force – Space Defense Commercial Operations (JCO) network, a US Space Force-led initiative.
A Global Initiative
JCO aims to be a global system, operating across three regional cells: America, Pacific, and Meridian. It utilizes industry providers to deliver timely space domain awareness capabilities and foster critical partnerships. Australia’s 1 Space Surveillance Unit (1SSU) will lead the JCO-Pacific Cell (JCO-PAC).
Australia’s Unique Advantage
Australia’s involvement in JCO-PAC allows the country to leverage its geographical advantages, including its Southern Hemisphere location and vast, open, electronically quiet land mass. “We can observe and receive signals from space at times when other nations cannot,” said Defence Space Commander Air Vice Marshal Cath Roberts.
Continuous Global Operations
JCO-PAC will contribute to JCO’s ‘follow-the-sun’ model, enabling continuous global space domain awareness operations. Each cell around the world will collaborate at different times, taking control of a mission during local daylight hours.
Workforce Development
“JCO operational integration is also one of the ways we develop our space workforce,” Air Vice Marshal Roberts added. Major Thomas Bittner, the first Australian JCO site lead, expressed excitement about the opportunity to collaborate with partners across the global JCO community.
International Collaboration
Barbara Golf, Strategic Adviser for Space Domain Awareness to the US Space Force’s Space Systems Command, praised Australia’s role, stating that it “further solidifies the US-Australia and wider coalition bonds in the space domain.”
The Road Ahead
The initiative aims to harness the space industry, providing a diverse sensor network and leveraging industry innovations. It marks a significant step in international collaborations for space domain awareness.
