What Happened
Project Hecate Aims to Create Multi-Orbit Navigation Network
The US Space Force is quietly working on Project Hecate, a study aimed at creating a multi-orbit network of space-based capabilities to ensure access to position, navigation, and timing data in the post-2040 timeframe. The project, led by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, is analyzing different orbits, including low Earth orbit and geosynchronous Earth orbit, as well as commercial satellite navigation concepts. The study’s findings are expected to impact future budget requests for the service. According to Breaking Defense, the Space Force is shifting its focus towards alternative navigation systems due to the growing vulnerability of the current GPS constellation to adversary attacks.