For the AsterX 2024 exercise, 23 simulated space events confronted players with different types of threat. Focus on four of them:
> Starting on March 5, the scenario fictitiously incorporated the action of an unfriendly-looking enemy experimental satellite in low Earth orbit.
The aim for members of the Blue Force (the international coalition involved in the exercise) was to detect the approaching maneuver and assess the risks. Using sensors, the "players" were able to track the object and characterize its orbital trajectory. It became clear that the maneuver contravened the standards of responsible behavior promoted by many nations, including that of the "players". After unsuccessfully attempting diplomatic action to persuade their adversary to halt its operation, the participants felt compelled to maneuver their satellite to escape a potentially dangerous situation.
This is a simulated space event proposed by the White Cell (the cell in charge of the scenario) which the exercise participants had to face. This credible and complex scenario contributes to the operational readiness and skills enhancement of Space Command units, in collaboration with the space industry players involved.
> A few days ago, naval vessels from Celtica (the fictitious nation to which the Blue Force participants belong) reported an anomalous situation: a commercial satellite operating on their behalf had its communications jammed, limiting the exchange of information between the deployed forces and their headquarters. The joint communications operator then alerted participants within the force to identify the source and location of the jamming.
The objective was to minimize the duration of the disruption. Using their resources, the Blue Force was able to locate the source of the jamming, which originated in the fictitious territory of Arnland (Celtica's neighboring state) in an area controlled by Tantalus, an opposing militia. The information provided by the space force led to the intervention of special forces, resulting in the destruction of the jammer. This simulated event illustrates the joint, multi-milieu, multi-field dimension of AsterX 2024.
> The "AsterX" 2024 scenario was played out as a progressive confrontation under increasing pressure from a simulated opponent. The players continued their efforts to thwart the opponent's plans and preserve their resources. The Red Force attempted to attack a Blue Force military satellite. Teams then planned tactical maneuvers to evade the detected threat. At the same time, by constantly monitoring the situation and mobilizing the resources at their disposal, the blue force was able to gather the elements needed to characterize the aggression and denounce this illegitimate attack.
At this stage of the exercise, the players reported the criticality of the situation to their commanders, who in turn approached the fictitious political authority for permission to use active defense to neutralize the threat. Once the political decision had been taken and authorization given within a precise employment framework, the force then engaged in virtual space combat, circumscribed by the terms of the authorization, which included a ban on the creation of multiple pieces of debris.
> The "players" have come to the end of the fourth edition of the French military space exercise "AsterX". After two intense weeks, punctuated by multiple simulated space events, the scenario reached its conclusion.
Faced with repeated failures to neutralize an allied satellite, the adversary was determined to destroy it by any means necessary, and decided to launch an anti-satellite strike from the ground. Armed with their intelligence capabilities, the Blue Force "players" were informed of the enemy's intentions. They directed their sensors and multiplied their efforts to anticipate the launch and identify potential targets. The "players" watched a posteriori as the opposing nation carried out the launch. Their space surveillance systems enabled them to determine that no target had been hit. Nevertheless, they analyzed the trajectories in an attempt to identify precisely the initial objective of the adversary's action.
At the strategic level, the participants had to provide precise characterization elements to attribute the anti-satellite fire, with the aim of denouncing the adversary's belligerent and irresponsible intentions in this exercise on the international stage.
