Lawmakers Urge Space Force to Consider Investment in Commercially Available Surveillance Technology
In a move to bolster tactical surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the House of Representatives is directing the Space Force to delve into the rapidly growing domain of Very Low-Earth Orbit (VLEO).
The House of Representatives has recently directed the Pentagon's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office to review the Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT) program. Within six months, CAPE will brief Congress on its findings, which are expected to include recommendations for the pilot project's organization, operations, and use of contracts with commercial vendors.
TacSRT, a program currently under the Department of the Air Force, provides unclassified reconnaissance and surveillance information to organizations within the Pentagon. The program has been a pilot initiative funded by Congress at $40 million in fiscal 2024 and 2025, despite the Department of the Air Force not budgeting for it. For fiscal 2026, the Space Force’s budget request does not adequately fund TacSRT, but lawmakers are advocating for its enhancement and sustained funding.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) recommends an additional $55 million for TacSRT and seeks to establish it as an enduring program across the Future Years Defense Program under the commercial services budget. The HASC’s 2026 defense bill also mandates that the Department of the Air Force designate TacSRT as a formal “program of record,” requiring stable funding and support, including a formal Title 10 requirement.
Rep. Jeff Crank is proposing adding $1 million to the budget for the development of a Very Low Earth Orbit Persistent Surveillance System. This push for TacSRT to transition from a pilot to a fully funded, permanent program of record within the Department of the Air Force’s budget is not the only expansion lawmakers are advocating.
Regarding VLEO, while explicit references to VLEO use are not detailed in the search results, there is mention of efforts to develop a multi-orbit Hybrid Space Architecture by the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit. This multi-orbit approach likely includes leveraging emerging commercial capabilities at lower orbital altitudes, which would encompass VLEO, to enhance tactical surveillance, reconnaissance, and tracking capabilities delivered through programs such as TacSRT.
Congress is also recognizing the potential of VLEO for persistent surveillance, tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), and responsive sensing in contested environments. Rep. Jeff Crank's amendment, for instance, acknowledges this potential, and the committee has directed the Secretary of the Air Force to make TacSRT a program of record and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to establish requirements for the program.
The Space Force has also taken steps towards VLEO exploration. They have released a Small Business Innovation Research solicitation for novel propulsion systems to keep satellites in VLEO for missions like ISR, communications, and space domain awareness. Space Force leaders have touted TacSRT as a success story, providing information faster than typical space intelligence assets.
However, the 2026 budget request seemed to squeeze out TacSRT, leaving it up to Congress once again to keep the program going. The HASC's push for TacSRT's sustained funding and expansion into VLEO is a testament to the program's importance in meeting combatant command needs more effectively.
[1] The Hill - House Armed Services Committee Advances $770 Billion Defense Policy Bill [2] SpaceNews - House Armed Services Committee Advances $770 Billion Defense Policy Bill
- The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has suggested additional funding for the Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT) program, a move that could see it transition from a pilot to a permanent program.
- To bolster its tactical surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the Space Force is considering delving into the rapidly growing domain of Very Low-Earth Orbit (VLEO), potentially through a collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit for a multi-orbit Hybrid Space Architecture.
- The HASC's 2026 defense bill has emphasized the importance of VLEO for persistent surveillance, tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), and responsive sensing in contested environments, directing the Secretary of the Air Force to make TacSRT a program of record and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to establish requirements for the program.
- In order to extend TacSRT's funding and expand its capabilities into VLEO, the Space Force has released a Small Business Innovation Research solicitation for novel propulsion systems to maintain satellites in VLEO for missions like ISR, communications, and space domain awareness.
