ProKnow Chapter 12: Cyber, Space, & Transnational Threats

At what altitude above mean sea level is USSPACECOM's area of responsibility?

100 kilometers (54 nautical miles)

When do we expect the Chinese space station to be operational and in what orbit?

2022-2024 LEO

How many refugees have fled Syria since 2011? To what countries?

5 million Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey

Which ISIS leader, in September 2017, assured supporters that ISIS remained committed to its long-term strategy of establishing a global caliphate.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Chinese satellite navigation system that is compromised of 35 satellites in the constellation. 27x Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) 3x Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO) 5x Geosynchronous (GEO)

Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

A Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) lunar sample return mission that launched in November 2020 with the goal of obtaining lunar regolith. The return capsule returned to Earth after landing in Inner Mongolia region of China on 16 December 2020.

Chang'e 5

Provides information on meteorological and oceanographic factors that affect military operations.

Environmental Monitoring

What does FSB stand for?

Federal Security Service

What does SVR stand for?

Foreign Intelligence Service

A series of Chinese high-resolution Earth observation satellites. China's first geosynchronous orbit remote sensing satellite featuring a visible light and infra-red staring optical imager with a common optical system.

Gaofen

Roughly circular ~23,000 miles above Earth's surface. Continuous coverage over specific area. Coverage nearly Hemispheric. Far from Earth - resolution and signal limitations. Easier to jam signal latency. Communication surveillance, reconnaissance, weather collection, missile warning.

Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO)

A global GNSS owned and operated by the Russian Federation. The operational system consists of 24+ satellites in MEO.

Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS)

Long ellipse ~600 miles at perigee (closest to Earth). ~25,000 miles at apogee (farthest from Earth). Long dwell time over a large area. Coverage of high North or South latitudes. Continuous coverage requires multiple satellites. Communication over high North or South latitudes, scientific surveillance, reconnaissance, missile warning.

Highly Elliptical Orbit

Space based ISR conducted by an organization's intelligence collection manager to ensure integrated, synchronized, and deconflicted operations high-demand assets.

Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance

What countries have ISIS's capabilities been notably degraded?

Libya, Afghanistan, Philippines

Roughly circular. Up to ~1,000 miles above Earth's surface. Near Earth - high resolution and signal strength. Small coverage area over Earth surface. Limited coverage windows for any specific geographic region. Surveillance, reconnaissance, weather, collection, manned space flight, communications.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

What does GRU stand for?

Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Roughly circular. Between ~1,000-22,000 miles above Earth's surface. Stable orbit. Less signal latency. Highest radiation level environment. Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), and communication.

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

What does MSS stand for?

Ministry of State Security

Supports the warning mission executed by North American Aerospace Defense Command to notify national leaders of a missile attack against North America.

Missile Warning

The SSF department responsible for cyberwarfare, technical reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and psychological warfare. Its current major target is the United States.

Network Systems Department

Provides surveillance coverage of critical regions of the globe and assessment recommendations indicating place, height of burst, and yield of nuclear detonations.

Nuclear Detonation Detection

Russian PL-19 system, a variant of the A-235 anti-missile system. Primarily focused on anti-satellite mission aimed at communications satellites and imagery intelligence satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Nudol

In 2018, the United States Department of Justice indicted two MSS actors for their involvement in targeting an IT service in order to gain sensitive data from foreign governments and economic competitors.

Operation Cloud Hopper

What does PLASSF stand for?

People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Forces

Systems for precise and accurate geo-location, navigation, and time reference services. (GNSSs, GPS)

Positioning, Navigation, and Timing

What does APT stand for?

Russia's Advanced Persistent Threat

Provides national and strategic leadership with a means to maintain situational awareness and convey their intent to the operational commanders responsible for conducting joint operations.

Satellite Communications

Involves the maneuver, configuration, operations and sustainment of on-orbit assets.

Satellite Operations (SATOPS)

Ensure freedom of action in space, defeat efforts to interfere with or attack US or allied space systems.

Space Control

Knowledge and characterization of space objects and the operational environment (OE) upon which space operations depend.

Space Domain Awareness (SDA)

The SSF department responsible for nearly all PLA space operations, including space launch and support; space surveillance; space information support; space telemetry, tracking, and control; and space warfare.

Space Systems Department

Maintains the ability to deliver payloads (satellites or other materials) into space.

Spacelift

Which countries offer opportunities for reconstituted external attack capabilities for ISIS from exploited conflicts?

Syria, Yemen

What is the Chinese Space Station called?

Tiangong Space Station

A comprehensive Chinese earth-observing and remote-sensing satellite platform which also includes the Jianbing sub-family reconnaissance satellites. Operated by the Chinese military for intelligence-gathering purposes.

Yaogan

What does ASAT stand for?

antisatellite weapons

Benefits from Access to Space

freedom of action, overflight, global perspective, responsiveness, multi-user capacity, speed, reach, and persistence

What does PNT stand for?

positioning, navigation, timing

Threats to Space Operations

solar activity, radiation, natural orbital debris, satellite debris, electromagnetic interference, jamming, lasing, cyberspace attacks, antisatellite weapons

The area above the altitude where atmospheric effects on airborne objects become negligible.

space domain

What areas of focus does the PLA Strategic Support Force (SSF) "centralize" for the Chinese government?

strategic space, cyber, electronic, and psychological warfare missions and capabilities

ISIS's use of what systems have increased, posing a new threat to civilian infrastructure and military installations?

unmanned aerial systems (drones)