WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is facing growing pressure on its communications networks as military space sensors generate far more data than they did two decades ago. A new 37-page report by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, titled “War at the Speed of Information: Data Transport, Decision Advantage, & the Future of Military Space Communications,” warns that communications capacity must expand alongside the rapid growth of space-based sensors.
The report, authored by retired Air Force Col. Jennifer K. Reeves, says military space sensors now generate up to 200 times more data than they did 20 years ago. Much of this information still moves through legacy radio-frequency (RF) links, which were developed when satellite numbers and data requirements were much lower.
The report notes that elements of the Space Force's Satellite Control Network have faced sustained demand for more than a decade. Its newest major ground station was completed in 1991, when fewer than 2,000 operational satellites existed worldwide. By May 31, 2026, more than 16,900 active satellites were orbiting Earth.
Report Calls for Laser Communications
The Mitchell Institute recommends accelerating the use of optical, or laser, communications to increase data-transport capacity. According to the report, laser links can transmit data 10 to 40 times faster than traditional RF systems, while their beams can be nearly 1,000 times narrower.
The narrower beams can make communications harder to detect, intercept or jam. Optical systems also operate at higher frequencies and avoid some of the spectrum limitations affecting RF systems, while generally requiring less size, weight and power.
The report does not propose replacing RF communications completely. Instead, it recommends hybrid RF-optical networks, combining the flexibility of RF systems with the higher capacity and narrow beams of optical communications.
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is already installing optical communications terminals on satellites in its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The Space Force has also requested fiscal 2027 funding for the Space Data Network to expand hybrid commercial-government data transport.
Laser Links Still Face Challenges
Optical communications require highly accurate pointing between satellites. Spacecraft in low-Earth orbit travel at roughly 17,000 miles per hour, while vibration or movement can disrupt a laser connection.
A 2025 Government Accountability Office report found that the SDA had not fully demonstrated all planned laser-communications capabilities in space before awarding additional contracts. Work is continuing to improve interoperability between optical terminals from different companies.
The Mitchell Institute report also recommends using artificial intelligence and edge processing aboard satellites. Satellites could process, filter and prioritize sensor data in orbit, reducing the amount of raw information that must be transmitted to ground stations.
The report also highlights China's development of satellite constellations using optical cross-links, including Guowang (National Network), which began launches in 2024, and Qianfan (Thousand Sails).
The report recommends accelerating communications modernization, deploying hybrid RF-optical architectures and developing interoperability standards. Reeves said an initial operational capability for a hybrid network could be possible within about five years if prioritized.
The report's central finding is that the U.S. military is rapidly increasing its ability to collect data in space, but its communications networks must also expand and modernize so that the information can reach decision-makers in useful time.
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