T-Minus Space Daily: USSF’s Space Warfighting Framework Episode Release Date: April 17, 2025 Host: Maria Varmazes, N2K Networks

Introduction

In this episode of T-Minus Space Daily, host Maria Varmazes delves into the United States Space Force's (USSF) newly released Space Warfighting Framework. The episode also features an insightful interview with Joshua Western, CEO and Co-Founder of Space Forge, discussing the company's innovative efforts in in-space manufacturing and their upcoming missions.

US Space Force’s Space Warfighting Framework

Maria Varmazes opens the episode by highlighting a significant development in the realm of space defense—the release of the USSF’s Space Warfighting Framework. This comprehensive document outlines the Space Force's vision to achieve and maintain space superiority, ensuring the safety and sustainability of the space domain for the long term.

Key Points:

• Vision of Space Superiority: The framework emphasizes that establishing space superiority is essential for the United States to secure victory in any potential conflict. By exercising space control, the Space Force aims to protect national interests and deter adversaries.

• Primary Mission Areas: The framework identifies three main mission areas:

  1. Orbital Warfare: Managing and controlling assets in Earth's orbit to maintain strategic advantages.
  2. Electromagnetic Warfare: Utilizing the electromagnetic spectrum to disrupt adversary communications and radar systems.
  3. Cyberspace Warfare: Protecting space-based and terrestrial systems from cyber threats.

• Counterspace Operations: Guardians may conduct operations such as terrestrial strikes, orbital strikes, space link interdiction, and both active and passive space defenses under the direction of combatant commanders.

Notable Quote:

General Chance Saltzman, the Chief of Space Operations, emphasizes the framework's purpose:

"It is the formative purpose of the Space Force to achieve space superiority to ensure freedom of movement in space for our forces while denying the same to our adversaries. We must be prepared to employ capabilities for offensive and defensive purposes to deter and if necessary defeat aggressors that threaten our vital national interests."
[02:15]

Implications:

The Space Warfighting Framework solidifies the Space Force's role as a combat-ready branch of the military, integral to joint and combined operations. It underscores the importance of space as a contested domain and the need for robust strategies to maintain dominance.

Space Industry Updates

Maria transitions to a series of brief updates on recent happenings in the space sector:

• Northrop Grumman's Minotaur 4 Launch: Northrop Grumman successfully launched a Minotaur 4 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base for the National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) NROL 174 mission. This marked the first Minotaur launch from California in nearly 14 years.

• L3Harris Technologies Expansion: L3Harris completed a $125 million expansion at its Fort Wayne, Indiana space manufacturing facility, enhancing capabilities to support the Department of Defense's on-orbit technology needs.

• Blue Origin's Orbital Reef Milestone: Blue Origin announced the completion of a Human in the Loop (HITL) testing milestone for its Orbital Reef space station, ensuring the station's capability to support human life in low Earth orbit.

• Texas State Commission Grants: The Texas State Commission approved $26 million in grants for five space-related projects, including funding for Aegis Aerospace, Icon Technology, Interlunecorp, KULR Technology Group, and Venus Aerospace Corp.

Interview with Joshua Western, CEO & Co-Founder of Space Forge

Maria interviews Joshua Western, providing an in-depth look into Space Forge's pioneering work in in-space manufacturing and their strategic growth.

Company Overview:

Joshua introduces Space Forge as an in-space manufacturing company focused on producing advanced compound semiconductor substrates—essential components for computer chips. Initially manufacturing on Earth, the company is transitioning production to space to leverage microgravity's advantages.

Key Discussion Points:

1. Early Challenges and Resilience:

   • Forgestar Zero Mission: The company's first mission, Forgestar Zero, faced setbacks with a launch vehicle failure, resulting in only six and a half minutes in space. Despite this, the mission provided valuable lessons in reentry technology.
   • Quote:

     "Forgestar Zero was all about demonstrating the deployment of the reentry technology."
     [12:23]

2. Establishing a Pilot Semiconductor Facility:

   • To sustain operations and meet customer demand, Space Forge established a pilot semiconductor manufacturing line in the UK, enabling continued production on Earth while developing in-space capabilities.
   • Quote:

     "We now have a pilot line semiconductor capability in the UK. So we are already producing semiconductors for customers."
     [10:55]

3. Licensing and Regulatory Hurdles:

   • Securing the necessary licenses for in-space manufacturing was a two-and-a-half-year endeavor, making Space Forge the second company globally (after the US) to obtain such a license.
   • Quote:

     "It's the first time the UK has licensed an in-space manufacturing mission... second to the US as you would expect."
     [13:36]

4. Scaling Up Missions:

   • Following Forgestar Zero and Forgestar One, which was 11 times larger, Space Forge is preparing for Forgestar Two, aiming to scale production capabilities significantly.
   • Quote:

     "Forgestar Two will be about 25 times bigger than Forgestar One."
     [15:55]

5. Breakthroughs in Semiconductor Manufacturing:

   • The company achieved a chemistry breakthrough that maintains the purity of semiconductors produced in space, reducing the number of required missions and increasing operational scale.
   • Quote:

     "We've been able to drastically reduce the amount of missions we need to launch, but at the same time, massively increase the scale of our semiconductor operation."
     [16:42]

6. Company Growth and Organizational Challenges:

   • Space Forge has expanded from 35-40 to 75 employees in two years, transitioning from a startup to a more structured organization while maintaining a balance between semiconductor and spacecraft engineering teams.
   • Quote:

     "Once you get past 50 people, the things that worked just stop working."
     [17:55]

7. Future Aspirations:

   • With plans to produce up to 10 million chips per mission, Space Forge aims to make in-space semiconductor manufacturing both scalable and financially viable.
   • Quote:

     "For each mission we launch, we can produce up to 10 million chips."
     [17:19]

Insights and Conclusions:

Joshua Western's discussion highlights the intersection of technological innovation, regulatory navigation, and strategic growth in advancing in-space manufacturing. Space Forge's journey underscores the potential of leveraging space environments for next-generation manufacturing processes, positioning them at the forefront of the commercial space industry.

Closing Remarks

Maria wraps up the episode by reflecting on the dynamic developments within the space sector and the vital role of strategic frameworks like the USSF's Space Warfighting Framework. The interview with Joshua Western provides a glimpse into the future of in-space manufacturing and its implications for both the commercial and defense landscapes.

Stay Informed: For more detailed information on today's topics, including the full Space Warfighting Framework, listeners are encouraged to visit N2K Networks.

This summary provides an overview of the key discussions and insights from the episode "USSF’s Space Warfighting Framework" of T-Minus Space Daily. For a complete experience, tuning into the full podcast episode is recommended.