Long-Delayed Space C2 System Ready for Operations

Space Operations Command has approved its next-generation command-and-control system for initial operations. 

The Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System, or ATLAS, replaces a 1970s-era C2 architecture. Developed by L3Harris, the new ground system pulls data from across the Space Force’s network of satellite sensors and ground-based radars to track activity in orbit and create a shared, comprehensive operational picture of activity in space.  

“ATLAS operational acceptance is a revolutionary leap forward for our warfighters, providing a decisive advantage in space domain awareness,” said Lt. Col. Amber Johnson, commander of SpOC’s 2nd Sustainment Squadron. “This achievement, driven by agile development, delivers a force multiplier that significantly enhances our ability to rapidly detect and respond to emerging threats, ensuring space superiority.” 

ATLAS is the first part of a broader modernization effort called Space C2, which aims to improve USSF’s ability to analyze, process, and disseminate space domain awareness data. Space Systems Command— the prime integrator alongside L3Harris—originally aimed to complete ATLAS in late 2022, but software integration challenges delayed the program by nearly three years.  

Space domain awareness is a top priority for U.S. Space Command and the Space Force, as adversaries launch new anti-satellite weapons and demonstrate increasingly aggressive tactics threatening U.S. space systems.  

Space operators—including SpOC boss Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr.—have eagerly awaited ATLAS, with Miller telling reporters last year he was growing “impatient” for the “must-have” capability.  

In a statement, L3Harris acknowledged the importance of ATLAS for helping operators respond to growing space threats.  

“The Space Force requires timely, accurate, and relevant information to avoid operational surprise, and ATLAS meets this demand by providing essential and actionable space domain awareness,” said Ed Zoiss, vice president of space and airborne systems, in the company’s release. 

The operational acceptance milestone was preceded by a focused test phase during which Space Force operators wrung out the system to identify any bugs and attempt to fix them. That was followed by a trial period to evaluate ATLAS’ performance compared to legacy capabilities.  

With ATLAS delivered, the Space Force will now shift its focus to integrating new space domain awareness applications into the new system. Miller’s team has been experimenting with tools derived from existing software in partnership with the Intelligence Community, commercial industry, and other USSF acquisition offices.

The Space Force in March awarded L3Harris a $90 million contract to support that follow-on work, under which the company will deliver a suite of “astrometric tools” that build on the initial ATLAS capability. 

As for decommissioning SPADOC, a Space Operations Command spokesman told Air & Space Forces Magazine the service doesn’t have a clear timeline for when the legacy system will cease operations.