“Six mysterious Russian satellites launched earlier this year have been creeping towards a observation space craft used by Ukraine.” Time to get real about the Space domain! ⬇️

One of the mike drop moments at Beaten Zone Venture Partner’s Reveille 2026 Military Technology Investment conference was the ‘High Ground’ keynote on all things Space.

Beaten Zone Investment Committee Advisor and Air Force Veteran Charlie McGillis silenced the room as she outlined just how contested space is becoming and the capability that both Russia and China are developing to seize advantage.

For those of us usually focused on other domains it was the description of Russian efforts to target space assets used by Ukraine to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that cut through. Supercluster has a quality article that explores how Russia appears to be preparing to target Finnish Earth-observing constellation ICEYE:

“That Russia should be interested in ICEYE comes as no surprise to experts. The Finnish constellation is the world’s largest fitted with synthetic aperture radar instruments (SAR), which observe Earth’s surface through clouds and in the dark. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, ICEYE has been a key supporter of the Ukrainian defense effort.”

While those in the room at Reveille heard that Australia has some key natural advantages for Space Operations, there has been uncertainty around Australia’s space strategy since the decision to axe JP 9012 which was planned to deliver a constellation of 3 – 5 locally controlled and operated geostationary communications satellites and multiple ground stations. The private sector however is bullish on the dual use opportunity space offers – companies such as Gilmour Space, HEO, Spinfex Space and Zendir were all represented.

But there is also a need to hasten to build capability to meet and exceed those that Russia and China are developing in space. Charlie McGillis provided a snapshot of China’s fast developing space capabilities including several ‘highly unusual manoeuvres’ – one type that also featured in the Supercluster article:

“Space security experts have been sounding the alarm for years about emerging threats in the space environment. Last year, China sent ripples through the space world by performing close-proximity maneuvers described as satellite dogfighting. U.S. military sources said at that time that five Chinese satellites had been moving around each other ‘in synchronicity and with control’ in a way reminiscent of the acrobatic chases performed during the Second World War between German and British fighter aircraft.”

For those of you who didn’t make it to Reveille you’re in luck – Beaten Zone’s ‘Briefing Room‘ podcast has a great episode 26 with Charlie McGillis that you can add to the listen list.

📷 via NASA – ISS taken from the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2000.