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Combatant Commands Research Guide

Unified Geographic and Functional Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense

SPACECOM Overview & Strategy

Start Here:  This guide offers essential resources on U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM), its strategy, structure, and operations. Explore official documents, research reports, journal articles, and space-focused think tanks to deepen your understanding of the role space plays in U.S. national security.

U.S. Space Command - SPACECOM coordinates global space operations from its temporary HQ in Colorado Springs, integrating joint forces across services to deter threats and defend U.S. interests in partnership with allies.

SPACECOM Mission and Strategic Vision and Elements of Victory

SPACECOM NewsPublications | Organizational Fact Sheet | Units | Multinational Force

Spotlight: DoD Space Strategy - Advancing space superiority to protect U.S. interests.

Visual Data & Org Charts

Space Warfighting Architecture - Organization Chart of SPACECOM & U.S. Space Forces

Organizational Structure & Units

Overview of SPACECOM’s structure and key commands supporting its mission.

đź”— Subordinate Unified Commands

đź”— Service Component Commands

Strategic Context & Background

Reports & Studies

Security Studies on JSTOR - Use JSTOR’s Security Studies collection to find reports from top policy institutes. Keyword is the default search in JSTOR with the option to refine results by publication year, content type and subject.  Advanced Search allows more precise searching. 

Below are some reports from this collection:

A variety of quality, open access reports are also available from government and private research organizations.  Important sources include:

Below is a selected list of reports from different research and government institutions:

Recommended Books

Enter your search terms and click Search to find an e-book:

Selected books relevant to U.S. strategy and security in the Space Command:

Use the Library Online Catalog to search for printed book titles, which may also be available electronically.

Articles & Journals

Enter a journal title to check full-text availability and coverage in all library collections:

Selected journal articles for deeper analysis and exploration

Journals to Explore

Keyword Index

Use this list to keyword list to refine your searches in databases.

  • AI in space operations
  • Allied space integration
  • Anti-satellite attacks
  • Autonomous operations
  • Autonomous satellites
  • Autonomous systems
  • Battle management systems
  • Battlefield space support
  • Cislunar space
  • Counterspace threats
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cyberspace threats
  • Data collection
  • Deep space capability
  • Denial and deception
  • Directed energy weapons
  • Electronic warfare
  • Exo-atmospheric weapons
  • Geolocation
  • GPS & navigation warfare
  • Great power competition
  • Ground site attacks
  • Hypersonic glide vehicles
  • Hypersonic weapons
  • Imagery intelligence
  • Intercontinental threats
  • International disputes
  • International security
  • ISR
  • Jamming communications
  • Joint space operations
  • Kinetic energy threats
  • Laser systems
  • Launch technology
  • LEO operations
  • Logistics support
  • Missile defense / warning
  • Multinational cooperation
  • National security
  • Navigation warfare
  • Nuclear detonation
  • Nuclear weapons
  • On-orbit servicing
  • Orbital / regional coverage
  • Orbital/Space debris tracking
  • Orbital threats / warfare
  • Payload security
  • PNT
  • Power projection
  • Quantum communications
  • Rapid launch capability
  • Regional competition
  • Remote sensing
  • RF spectrum management
  • Satellite communications
  • Satellite imagery
  • Satellite navigation
  • Security alliances
  • Small satellites (smallsats)
  • Space debris mitigation
  • Space domain awareness
  • Space intelligence
  • Space launch cadence
  • Space launch vehicles
  • Space missile warning
  • Space security & deterrence
  • Space situational awareness
  • Space surveillance
  • Space traffic
  • Space weather
  • SSA technologies
  • Tactical space

Key External Resources