{"id":9723,"date":"2026-04-15T02:54:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/us-must-adjust-to-irans-use-of-commercial-satellite-photos-space-command-says\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T02:54:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:54:19","slug":"us-must-adjust-to-irans-use-of-commercial-satellite-photos-space-command-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/us-must-adjust-to-irans-use-of-commercial-satellite-photos-space-command-says\/","title":{"rendered":"US must adjust to Iran\u2019s use of commercial satellite photos, Space Command says"},"content":{"rendered":"
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado<\/strong>\u2014Iran\u2019s use of commercial space imagery to strike U.S. and allied targets will force the Pentagon to adjust, the head of U.S. Space Command said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to recognize that the rest of the world can now see the entire planet transparently and almost 24\/7 and so we have to be able to operate in that environment successfully,\u201d Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of U.S. Space Command told reporters Tuesday during the Space Symposium conference here.<\/p>\n

U.S. Central Command, which leveled Iran\u2019s nascent space command in the opening days of the war, more recently announced that the U.S. military had achieved \u201cspace superiority\u201d over its enemy. Despite those quick victories, Whiting acknowledged that the conflict has still taught him that even less-equipped adversaries can still inflict damage using commercial satellite imagery and that the U.S. military\u2019s space assets remain key targets during major operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery country, just about today, can somehow access space imagery, which then gives them an insight on what’s going on in the battlefield,\u201d Whiting said. \u201cI think we need to be cognizant of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

A day before Whiting spoke, the chairman of the House Select Committee on China wrote to the Pentagon, asking how Iran came by the imagery it used to attack U.S. troops. In the letter, which was obtained by Defense One<\/em>, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, alleged there was a \u201chigh likelihood” that satellite photos taken by Airbus were provided to China’s MizarVision ahead of Iran\u2019s March 27 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

The Europe-based company says it\u2019s not true.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Airbus denies these allegations, and this letter contains many inaccuracies regarding our operations and commercial relationships,\u201d an Airbus spokesperson told Defense One<\/em>. \u201cWe strictly comply with all applicable sanctions, export controls and international regulatory frameworks.”<\/p>\n

Moolenaar wrote that Airbus should \u201cfollow suit\u201d with other commercial satellite imagery companies that have stopped releasing photos of the region. Planet Labs and Vantor, two of the U.S.\u2019s leading satellite image providers, have limited customers\u2019 access<\/p>\n

\u201cThis decision reflects our responsibility to ensure that our services do not inadvertently increase risks to civilians or to U.S., allied, or partner forces given the highly dynamic and rapidly evolving conditions in the region,\u201d Vantor said in an emailed statement to Defense One.<\/em><\/p>\n

In harm\u2019s way<\/strong><\/p>\n

Space Force guardians, as well as other troops supporting SPACECOM and CENTCOM, are working within reach of Iran\u2019s missiles and drones.<\/p>\n

During the press conference, Whiting took a moment to remember Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin Pennington. The soldier was assigned to Fort Carson\u2019s 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, and was killed in the March 1 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base.<\/p>\n

Gen. Chase Saltzman, the Space Force\u2019s top uniformed officer, has previously said guardians deployed for Operation Epic Fury had continued to launch space effects \u201cdespite being under attack from an adversary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whiting said the U.S. military\u2019s space capabilities will remain key targets for enemies who will seek to \u201cbalance their inferiority in conventional arms\u201d in future conflicts. That includes Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven a medium power like Iran will seek to target our space capabilities,\u201d Whiting said. \u201cWe do not live in an era of sanctuary anymore, and so our systems need to be resilient to those kinds of attacks, be able to operate through those attacks.\u201d\n\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/div>\n