U.S. Army to expand space operations into the stratosphere

The U.S. Army is expanding its space operations to include a greater focus on the stratosphere. Leaders from the Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) announced that the service intends to conduct various experiments over the next year involving high-altitude balloons and stratospheric operations.

Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, head of the Transformation Integration Directorate for Space Superiority, described the stratosphere—ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 feet—as a transition point between the aerial layer and the space domain. Utilizing this region allows for persistent coverage and the delivery of space-like capabilities, such as sensing, communications, and the extension of launched effects portfolios.

Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, head of SMDC, noted that while he was initially skeptical of high-altitude balloons, seeing them in action convinced him of their “game-changing” potential. In addition to ballooning, the command is exploring the use of long-endurance, unmanned solar-powered aircraft to exploit stratospheric capabilities.