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.  

Read on Air & Space Forces »