AEROSPACE.CSIS.ORG | 1
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U.S. Space-Based Nuclear
Command and Control: A Guide
BY Marie Villarreal Dean
The United States has long depended on a vast array of
complex sensing and communications infrastructure to
receive warning in the event of a nuclear attack and to
execute nuclear orders. This command and control
network is highly reliant on space-based assets to
operate and provide dependable information to
decision makers in the event of a nuclear crisis. This
paper aims to provide a comprehensive outline of the
contribution of satellites in the U.S. nuclear command
and control network, analyze space assets in the nuclear
modernization process, explore vulnerabilities and the
risks they face as the space environment becomes more
contested, and propose policy solutions to strengthen
and protect this vital infrastructure. This information
should serve as a resource for scholars, practitioners,
and decisionmakers to better understand this complex
system and the unique challenges it faces in today’s
space environment.
The U.S. Nuclear Command and Control Network
The U.S. nuclear command, control, and
communications (NC3) network is a complex system
Marie Villarreal Dean was a research intern for the
Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
