America’s military edge depends on commercial satellites, yet intelligence agencies favor costly classified systems while China rapidly weaponizes space technology.
U.S. dominance in space has long served as a massive force multiplier for the American warfighter. Today, that dominance is increasingly powered by commercial space companies delivering advanced technologies—from daily Earth observation images to satellite-based internet and global telecom networks. These capabilities help our troops navigate, detect, and act faster than adversaries.
But as global tensions escalate, American leadership is at risk—from both foreign adversaries and shortsighted decisions at home.
During a May 14th hearing, Rep. Seth Moulton warned that the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) had reportedly slashed funding for commercial satellite imagery in the next fiscal budget. These proposed cuts aren’t just a threat to the warfighter and our national security—they also jeopardize the viability of the U.S. commercial space sector.
From battlefield targeting to situational awareness, today’s missions increasingly rely on persistent commercial satellite coverage. Weakening that capability leads to slower decisions, reduced effectiveness, and greater risk for U.S. and allied forces. These cuts threaten to undermine our intelligence capabilities and weaken our edge in the global space race.
China is wasting no time. Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. (CGST), a Chinese government-funded commercial imaging company, operates over 100 satellites and an advanced communication architecture, and is positioning itself to disrupt markets, shape global norms, and collect intelligence at scale. This represents a significant advancement in China’s satellite imaging and communication capabilities, and according to Western intelligence officials, Chinese commercial satellites have been used by Russia to image critical Ukrainian infrastructure, including nuclear power plants, in preparation for missile strikes.
This is part of a troubling trend: authoritarian regimes are weaponizing commercial space faster than we are defending against it.
Ironically, our allies and partners often adopt these American-made technologies faster than our own government. Allied defense agencies are incorporating U.S. commercial imagery and analytics more effectively than the very agencies that helped develop them. The RAND Corporation recently cited Ukraine’s use of U.S. commercial space technology as an asymmetric advantage over Russia. Their report concluded: