Maj. Gen. James Mingus, 82nd Airborne Division commanding general, told the conference audience in Augusta, Georgia, that because of the hundreds of microsatellites being launched into low-Earth orbit, “We are right on the cusp … of establishing a true, space-based global mesh network.” According to estimates he has seen, 800 to 1,000 such satellites “will have initially established that space-based global mesh network." Between 10,000 and 20,000 satellites will provide a “very robust” space-based global mesh network. He questioned how long it will be before those satellites all have cameras hanging off of them. “That sounds great from a commercial perspective, but how about from a threat or an enemy’s perspective? We think space, cyber, land, air, and maritime are contested now. It’s going to make it even more difficult.”
Maj. Gen. James Mingus, 82nd Airborne Division commanding general, told the conference audience in Augusta, Georgia, that because of the hundreds of microsatellites being launched into low-Earth orbit, “We are right on the cusp … of establishing a true, space-based global mesh network.” According to estimates he has seen, 800 to 1,000 such satellites “will have initially established that space-based global mesh network." Between 10,000 and 20,000 satellites will provide a “very robust” space-based global mesh network. He questioned how long it will be before those satellites all have cameras hanging off of them. “That sounds great from a commercial perspective, but how about from a threat or an enemy’s perspective? We think space, cyber, land, air, and maritime are contested now. It’s going to make it even more difficult.”