United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) has launched a new wargame series aimed at strengthening coordination between government, allied and commercial space actors as concerns grow over potential threats on orbit, including weapons of mass destruction.
The inaugural Apollo Insight Commercial Integration tabletop exercise on March 23 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, brought together defense officials, industry leaders and international partners to examine a theoretical worst-case scenario involving space-based threats. The classified event marked the first of four planned exercises in 2026 focused on improving collective responses and technical solutions.
Participants from private industry, 17 government organizations joined representatives from allied nations Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, reflecting what officials described as a broad, integrated approach to space security.
Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons, USSPACECOM’s senior enlisted leader, underscored the growing centrality of space to daily life and national security in opening remarks.
“Space is no longer a supporting supplement,” Simmons said, according to an article by USSPACECOM. “It is a central system woven into the web of our modern life. From markets to medicine, from agriculture to aviation, from navigation to notification, we are all synchronized with space.”
He warned of cascading consequences if space capabilities are disrupted. “If and when space is struck down, all of society is struck down,” he added. “This is not only our heavenly fight but also our home fight and it is humanity’s fight.”
The exercise focused heavily on improving domain awareness — the ability to detect and differentiate activity in space — as well as identifying vulnerabilities in U.S. and allied space systems. Participants collaborated on mitigation strategies and operational responses to deter or respond to catastrophic events.
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Heather Thomas, who leads commercial integration for USSPACECOM, said the strong turnout signaled industry recognition of the stakes.
“We had a very high request to attend from USSPACECOM’s commercial mission partners with 62 companies and 175 people attending, including six CEOs, nine vice presidents and 31 directors from companies across the space enterprise,” Thomas said.
She said the next exercise, scheduled for June, will focus on orbital maneuver warfare and is expected to draw similar interest.
Industry participants said the exercise fostered awareness and potential new strategies. Jay Santee, general manager with exercise host the Aerospace Corp., noted how the scenario-driven format encouraged dialogue. “I was very pleased with the participants’ engagement. They shared innovation, courses of action, and new and interesting ideas on how to deter the use of nuclear detonation in space,” Santee said, adding that attendees left with a deeper understanding of the risks and their role in addressing them.
Roland Rainey, a senior account executive at Vantor, described the event as influential beyond the immediate exercise. “This wargame didn’t just discuss the future of space warfare. I believe it helped shape government and commercial industry viewpoints,” he said. “I left more inspired with an amplified sense of purpose.”
The series was first announced during the Spacepower Conference in Orlando, Florida, in December 2025 by Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of USSPACECOM, who has emphasized that space has long been a contested domain, and failing to recognize that reality could erode U.S. advantages. “If we fail to adjust our mindset, if we cling to the myth that space is somehow ‘different,’ we risk falling behind our opponents who have already made that adjustment,” he said during his conference keynote.
In testimony to Congress in February 2024, Whiting further stated, “USSPACECOM must protect and defend our space systems to ensure they are available against the growing threats arrayed against us. Inherent in this responsibility is our ability to protect the Joint Force from space-enabled attack.”
And in April 2025, during his keynote at the Space Symposium, the general emphasized that, “it is our opponents, most notably China, who have accelerated the terrestrial and on-orbit space weapons, and expanded their space-enabled kill chains.”
Future Apollo Insight exercises will address additional challenges, including proliferated satellite constellations and integrated missile defense.