Why DoD want Starship
Starship is the perfect deterrent
Recently Gary Henry disclosed the Pentagon are interested in owning and operating the company’s groundbreaking Starship vehicle.
“We have had conversations … and it really came down to specific missions, where it’s a very specific and sometimes elevated risk or maybe a dangerous use case for the DOD where they’re asking themselves: Do we need to own it as a particular asset … SpaceX, can you accommodate that? We’ve been exploring all kinds of options to kind of deal with those questions.” ~ Gary Henry, SpaceX senior adviser for national security space solutions
This seems an unprecedented step for the DoD who usually purchase launch services direct from aerospace companies hence have little interest in owning launch vehicles. Certainly SpaceX would prefer to operate the vehicle themselves because it offers better cost savings to the customer.
“From our perspective, if you want to fully leverage the commercial attributes of a Starship, or any launcher that’s out there operating commercially, you want to buy it as a service.” Gary Henry, SpaceX senior adviser for national security space solutions
Hence some mystery surrounds what the DoD wants with Starship to warrant such unusual measures.
Do’s and Don’ts
In the past, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has contracted SpaceX to investigate rocket cargo transport, i.e. moving military materiel quickly around the world using the Starship launch vehicle. However, Gary Henry clarified this latest application for Starship goes beyond that plan, and it seems unlikely moving boxes of munitions could be described as “a very specific and elevated risk,” as such transfers are handled routinely by commercial carriers. This implies the DoD want to tap Starship’s farther reaching capabilities, such as operating it in Earth orbit, possibly going as far as cislunar space. The most likely area of operation is Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) where there is continuous contention between US, Russian and Chinese satellites. Usually this consists of Signal Intercept (SIGINT) operations by so called ‘snuggler’ vehicles that approach communication satellites to monitor broadcast signals. Alternately this might involve some kind of inspection by ‘stalker’ vehicles that perform close visual examinations of satellites to determine their operational purpose and capabilities. Of course these unwanted interlopers could easily be removed using anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. Unfortunately this would produce substantial amounts of kinetic debris which could damage the strategically important satellites permanently stationed above the US. Hence non-destructive intervention is a preferable approach, such as using lasers to dazzle a stalker’s cameras or radio jamming to stop snugglers from relaying any intercepted communications.
There is no evidence the US is involved in these kind of undertakings at present, although they are certainly capable of performing such a mission, given the eventuality. For example, the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office operate the X-37B autonomous space plane, to develop reusable spacecraft technologies and space awareness capabilities.
“X-37B Mission 7, also known as OTV-7, will expand the United States Space Force’s knowledge of the space environment by experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies. These tests are integral in ensuring safe, stable, and secure operations in space for all users of the domain.” ~ United States Space Force
Recently the OTV-7 mission was launched by SpaceX on their Falcon Heavy rocket into a high inclination elliptical orbit, which periodically intersects geostationary orbit, presumably to keep an eye on everything going on there. Overall it seems the DoD want SpaceX to produce a special purpose variant of the Starship upper stage, similar to the X-37, only with far deeper capabilities, more suited to performing affirmative action if needed. No doubt this variant Starship could be launched by SpaceX from one of their existing sites then control handed over to the DoD, once safely in orbit.
“If we can buy the commercial service, that’s what we’re going to do, but there might be some use cases where there needs to be a government-owned, government-operated [vehicle] and that transfer can happen on the fly,” ~ Col. Eric Felt, director of space architecture for the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration
This kind of compartmentalization would seem the ideal solution for any secure Starship operation; SpaceX handles the technically difficult launch phase, then hands over the keys for Starship to whoever handles the need-to-know phase. Certainly SpaceX would appreciate not being exposed to whatever high jinks this special purpose Starship is up to, considering the possible legal repercussions.
High Jinks
The X37B has some great capabilities, i.e. orbital rendezvous, drone satellite deployment, extended mission duration, to name but a few. Unfortunately it has a relatively small payload bay which necessitated the addition of a service module for space experiments. However, Starship has no such limitations with 1,000 cubic meters of internal volume and 200 tons payload capacity, opening a cornucopia of possible missions it could perform for the DoD.
“Let’s say you have a satellite and you launch it and something goes wrong… BFR [Starship] has a capability to open its payload bay, either bring the satellite back in, close it, pressurize it, work on it and redeploy it. If you want to go see how your satellite is doing or if you’re getting interference in the GEO belt, maybe you want to go up there and take a look at your neighbors, seeing if they’re cheating or not, BFR [Starship] will basically allow people to work and live in space and deploy technology that has not been able to be deployed. It’s an 8.5m diameter fairing, big-big.” ~ Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX COO
As Gwynne suggests, Starship could deploy to the GEO belt (if refueled in LEO), carrying ~200 tons of mission specific cargo. Autonomous satellite retrieval and return to Earth for refurbishment is one application they could implement fairly quickly. The satellite’s solar panels might need to be cropped to fit into the payload bay but these panels would normally be replaced as part of the refurbishment process.
Once manned missions are possible any satellite repair work could be carried out inside Starship, although this would have to be performed by suitably cleared personnel, preferably military, due to the hazards involved (both operational security and physical). If the satellite won’t easily fit inside Starship, the vehicle could be used to deploy an expandable habitat (similar to Sierra Space’s Life Habitat). Effectively this means the DoD would operate their own space station in GEO, something they have shown increased interest in over the years. The UN’s Outer Space Treaty prohibits Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) being deployed in space but military personnel are permitted because all space agencies employ military astronauts. Starship could also perform patrols of this strategically important GEO belt, allowing them to interdict snuggler or stalker satellites in extremis.
The vehicle would effectively operate as a mini-carrier to deploy customizable drones e.g. satellite refueling, deorbit, shielding, boosting, auxiliary power etc, whatever function is needed. In the worst case of direct conflict, a single Starship could wreak havoc on an enemy GEO constellation, deorbiting in days satellite systems which took decades to launch – or replace in the future. With the provision of a propellant depot and manned base in GEO that would allow Starship to patrol out to cislunar space. NASA wants companies like SpaceX to operate on the moon, which suggests China would likely follow suit. No doubt these competing companies will clash over territory and lucrative resources, necessitating Space Force to act as peacekeepers. Probably some facility to rescue stranded personnel would also be welcomed, at least by western partners...
In conclusion
When the DoD say they want to use Starship for “specific missions” or “dangerous use cases” this is probably shorthand for some form of intervention or interdiction missions, similar to how naval vessels work. Starship capabilities are unparalleled by any nation hence operating it in deep space would allow the DoD distinct advantages, possibly unequaled or countered for decades. In one Starship launch they could deploy an expandable space station many times the volume of the ISS, which could be used as a hub for near Earth operations. To maintain peace in space will require peacekeepers with an eagle’s vantage and flight capabilities, something Starship can supply in spades.