Space Force’s ATLAS System Navigates Challenges in Modernizing Space Domain Awareness
The U.S. Space Force is working to fully realize the potential of its Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS), a next-generation space domain awareness (SDA) system, despite facing ongoing challenges in decommissioning legacy infrastructure. While ATLAS achieved operational acceptance in September 2025, the service is still working to meet all requirements necessary to retire the 1980s-era Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC) system it was designed to replace.
ATLAS: A Revolutionary Leap with Lingering Hurdles
ATLAS, developed by L3Harris, represents a significant effort to modernize the Space Force’s ability to track satellites, spacecraft, and other objects in orbit. The system aims to integrate and disseminate data from various sources – including space domain awareness, command and control, and intelligence – using automation to provide operators with a comprehensive understanding of the space environment. U.S. Space Force officials initially described ATLAS as a “revolutionary leap forward.”
However, a report from the Director of Operational Test &. Evaluation (DOT&E) in March 2026 revealed that, as tested, ATLAS did not yet possess the minimum viable capability required for SPADOC decommissioning. The report as well highlighted “deficiencies consistent with system immaturity.”
A History of Delays and Program Restructuring
The path to ATLAS’s operational status has been marked by delays. The Space Force initially aimed to field the system in late 2022, but software integration challenges pushed the timeline back nearly three years. DefenseScoop reports that these setbacks led to ATLAS being identified as a “troubled program” by former Space Force acquisition executive Frank Calvelli.
Prior to ATLAS, the Air Force and Space Force attempted several times to replace SPADOC. The Joint Space Operations Center Mission System (JMS), launched in 2009, was canceled in 2018 after fielding only one of three planned increments, falling three years behind schedule and exceeding its budget by $139 million.
The Emergence of Kronos and the Space C2 Initiative
In May 2025, the Space Force restructured the broader Space Command and Control (Space C2) program, creating a parallel component called Kronos. While ATLAS focuses on foundational analysis and data processing, and space domain awareness, Kronos will provide battlespace awareness tools, including theater support and space defense capabilities. Breaking Defense details this strategic shift.
Both ATLAS and Kronos are being developed using the Pentagon’s software acquisition pathway. The Space Force is actively seeking to integrate tools from the SDA Tools, Applications, and Processing Lab in Colorado Springs into Kronos, aiming to provide operators with rapid access to solutions for emerging challenges. Orbital Today highlights the service’s efforts to rapidly field fresh software to the system through commercial solutions openings.
Looking Ahead
The Space Force is committed to decommissioning SPADOC in 2026, with Combat Forces Command collaborating with Space Systems Command to execute a “deliberate plan.” The ongoing development of ATLAS and Kronos, coupled with the integration of new data sources, is expected to significantly enhance the Space Force’s space domain awareness and contribute to a more secure and resilient space environment. The increasing demand for space situational awareness from both government and commercial operators underscores the importance of these modernization efforts.