DoD signs its first agreement to share space situational awareness with another nation

The Department of Defense has signed a space situational awareness (SSA) memorandum of understanding with the Department of Defense of Australia. This signed government-to-government memorandum is the first that will permit an advanced exchange of SSA data.

“Many nations share the space domain, and it is in our best interest to create an environment where the sharing of SSA data facilitates transparency and improves flight safety,” said Air Force Gen. Robert Kehler, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, in a DoD announcement.

SSA exchanges will assist partners with activities such as launch support, maneuver planning, support for on-orbit anomaly resolution, electromagnetic interference reporting and investigation, support for launch anomalies and de-commissioning activities, and on-orbit conjunction assessments.