U.S. Military and Intelligence Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Fact Sheet

Over the past four decades, the U.S. military and intelligence community have developed and deployed a wide array of satellites capable of rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) for peaceful inspection, intelligence collection, and space situational awareness. These activities—while often secretive—have generally not been linked to anti-satellite (ASAT) weaponization.

Highlights from the Fact Sheet:

Key Missions:

• XSS-10 / XSS-11: Small satellites launched in 2003 and 2005 to demonstrate close approach maneuvers in low Earth orbit (LEO).
• Orbital Express (2007): Conducted the first autonomous fluid transfer and robotic arm capture in orbit—marking dual-use potential for satellite servicing and RPO.
• Prowler (1990s): Unacknowledged stealth satellite allegedly approached Russian GEO assets for intelligence collection.
• GSSAP Program (2014–present): Active U.S. Space Force program for high-accuracy GEO surveillance; satellites have conducted over 20 close approaches, including with Chinese and Russian satellites.
• EAGLE / Mycroft / ANGELS / LDPE 3A: Modular RPO test platforms deployed for R&D, inspection, and maneuverability testing around other assets.

Observations and Analysis:

• Several satellites (e.g., PAN, CLIO, Mentor-4) are believed to conduct signals intelligence (SIGINT) by shadowing commercial or military satellites in GEO.
• The U.S. has conducted numerous RPOs with Chinese satellites, including SJ-20, SY-12 (01/02), and SJ-23, often without pre-coordination.
• The LDPE 3A system launched in 2023 has maneuvered to shadow other spacecraft, likely testing responsive intelligence-gathering frameworks.
• Emerging platforms under the Victus Haze program are expected to push toward rapid-deployment, maneuverable RPO capabilities by late 2025.

Key Charts:

• Page 5: Table of 20+ known or suspected U.S. RPO missions (1990–2024), including targets, satellites, and mission notes.
• Page 6: Table of GSSAP proximity approaches through 2022, including distance data (some as close as 10–15 km).

Despite the dual-use nature of these capabilities, the fact sheet finds no evidence that U.S. RPO missions have been used to damage or disable satellites, distinguishing them from co-orbital ASAT operations.

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