These developments mark a significant advancement in global space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities, providing the US Space Force and its partner forces with a key technological advantage over potential adversaries.
This milestone, achieved through collaboration between Space Operations Command (SpOC) and Space Systems Command (SSC), enhances the United States’ ability to monitor, track and characterise objects in deep space – a growing strategic imperative as orbital congestion, debris and rival counter-space threats increase.
In parallel, SpOC is now progressing integrated testing of a similar upgrade at its Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) site in Maui, Hawaii. Once operationally accepted, this second location will also transition to Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS), consolidating an expanded surveillance footprint across the Indo-Pacific.
The GBOSS upgrade significantly improves the sensitivity, coverage, revisit rates, and integration of commercial data streams. These advancements allow for faster and more precise identification of potential space threats, including satellites, defunct assets, and debris at altitudes above 10,000 kilometres. Importantly, it strengthens the Space Force’s ability to support joint and allied defensive and offensive space operations in a highly contested domain.
“The GBOSS upgrade represents a leap forward in capability for the joint warfighter,” said US Space Force Colonel Barry Croker, Commander of SpOC Mission Delta 2 – Space Domain Awareness. “It enhances the decision making, targeting and manoeuvre capabilities of our Guardians across all warfighting domains.”
These developments hold strategic significance for Australia, which is deepening its investment in sovereign space surveillance under initiatives such as the Defence Space Strategy and the National Defence Strategy 2024.
Australia’s long-standing contribution to the global Space Surveillance Network, including hosting the C-Band radar and optical telescope in Exmouth, Western Australia, positions it as a critical partner in allied space domain awareness.
As Australia seeks to build out its own sovereign space domain awareness ecosystem, possibly through the expansion of Defence Space Command’s capabilities, new southern hemisphere tracking assets, and integration with AUKUS and Five Eyes networks, the GBOSS program offers a proven model of rapid modernisation, deep operator-integrator collaboration, and cost-efficient integration of commercial sensors.
“Space Systems Command is excited to deliver the first system upgrade under the GBOSS program,” said Shannon Pallone, SSC Program executive officer for battle management, command, control, communication and space intelligence. “The small team … demonstrated a strong technical understanding of requirements and seamless execution of this major system upgrade.”
Weapon system modernisation has become an urgent priority, with GBOSS replacing legacy systems that have remained largely unchanged since the 1980s.
These enhancements not only increase technical performance but also reduce long-term sustainment costs and improve responsiveness to new SDA challenges.
As space becomes increasingly militarised and congested, Australia, in concert with partners like the US, must ensure it has the ability to see, understand and act in orbit. Programs such as GBOSS demonstrate what is possible when focused investment, allied cooperation and modern engineering are brought to bear on this mission.