WASHINGTON — Military satellites for decades have been built like a giant toolbox with all the functions crammed into one unit. But this type of monolithic design makes it expensive, complex and less adaptable. The Space Force is now “disaggregating” satellites, breaking down the toolbox into smaller, specialized toolkits.

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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...