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ORLANDO, Fla. – The Space Force expects its newest space observation satellites, Silent Barker, to be ready for initial operations early next year, the head of the U.S. Space Command said.

Gen. Stephen Whiting told reporters Wednesday that the spacecraft, which launched in September 2023has undergone a series of tests in space over the past year. The agency did not confirm how many spacecraft it launched on the first mission, but said there were at least two.

“Once they’re done with that testing and checkout, that data will flow into our operational databases,” Whiting said during a roundtable at the Space Force Association’s Spacepower Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Whiting suggested the years-long testing process is “not atypical” for a new mission like Silent Barkeradding that future satellites should integrate into the constellation much faster. The Space Force expects the satellites to be fully operational by 2026.

The Space Force co-developed and launched Silent Barker with the National Reconnaissance Office. The spacecraft’s mission is largely classified, but the agency has said its role is to monitor objects — and potentially nefarious activity — in geosynchronous orbit about 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) above Earth.

The agencies announced in December 2017 that they would work together to develop Silent Barker to replace the older Space-Based Space Surveillance System satellites, which will reach end of life in 2028. The team has drawn up an acquisition plan in 2028. It took about three years to build the satellites and prepare for launch.

Monitoring space objects and behavior is a growing priority for Space Command and the Space Force as China and Russia show signs of aggression in this area. Most of the service’s space observation systems are ground-based. While these radars and telescopes can catalog larger, basketball-sized objects, they cannot provide the visibility and detail that the Space Force and NRO hope to get through Silent Barker.

Whiting noted that the new satellites are just one of many space domain awareness capabilities that will be deployed soon. The Space Force’s Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability, or DARC, which Northrop Grumman is building, will detect objects in geosynchronous orbit around the US and its allies. The agency plans to buy three DARC radars in the US, Australia and the UK.

The Space Force will also complete testing and adoption of the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System in 2025, which will process space domain awareness data to allow operators to detect and combat threats in space.