Agentic AI: the future of space warfare

The future of space warfare will be determined by the speed of decision. As satellite constellations proliferate and adversaries field increasingly sophisticated counterspace capabilities, the ability to sense, analyze and act faster than an opponent will dictate who controls the space domain.

China's recent advances underscore the urgency. Chinese researchers reportedly developed Manus, described as the world's first fully autonomous AI agent, in what some observers called a "Second DeepSeek Moment. " Beijing has also launched early experiments for its Three-Body Computing Constellation, which processes data directly in orbit using artificial intelligence rather than relying solely on ground infrastructure.

This vision aligns with the future described by General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the U. S. Space Force, who has emphasized that the next era of space warfighting will be driven by "artificial intelligence, autonomy and maneuver operations.