How to Win a Space War
The article explores the strategic importance of space in modern military conflicts, arguing that control of orbital assets—such as satellites for communication, navigation, and surveillance—is critical to winning future wars. It discusses how advancements in space technology and potential vulnerabilities in space-based systems could shape military doctrine and national security strategies.
Background
- The article is published by **a16z** (Andreessen Horowitz), a top Silicon Valley venture capital firm known for betting on tech that intersects with national security.
- Written by **Ellen Lord**, former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition (2017–2021), now an a16z partner focused on defense tech.
- "Space war" means military competition in orbit — anti-satellite weapons, jamming, and protecting GPS, comms, and spy satellites. The U.S. Space Force was created in 2019 to address this threat.
- In recent years, the Pentagon has shifted from a few giant, fragile satellites costing billions to cheaper, smaller, mass-produced satellites ("proliferated architectures") that are harder to destroy.
- Why it matters: Nearly all modern military and civilian infrastructure (GPS, banking timing, internet, weather) relies on space assets. Losing space dominance would cripple both.