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Space Force Declares ATLAS Operational, Marking Shift to Modern Space Command and Control

The software-driven system begins initial operations to reduce reliance on aging SPADOC through iterative upgrades.

Overview

  • Space Operations Command approved ATLAS for initial operations following focused testing and a trial that measured performance against legacy tools.
  • Developed by L3Harris with Space Systems Command as prime integrator, the system fuses satellite and ground radar data into a shared operational picture.
  • Operators at Mission Delta 2 have been using ATLAS on the ops floor to generate tracking data published to Space-Track.org.
  • A $90 million contract awarded in March tasks L3Harris with delivering astrometric tools to expand ATLAS capabilities.
  • The service aims to remove dependencies on SPADOC, though no decommission date is set, after the program slipped nearly three years from a 2022 target.