Gen. Stephen Whiting, U.S. Space Command commander, speaks to military officials during a recent forum. Credit: U.S. Space Command

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Pentagon for decades has treated launch as the central logistical problem of military space. Once a satellite reaches orbit, it is expected to operate with the fuel it carries from Earth until it fails or runs dry. That model, Gen. Stephen Whiting argues, is no longer sufficient for a domain that the U.S. military now views as contested and potentially hostile.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...