What is an Army Space Support Team (ARSST)?

An Army Space Support Team (ARSST) is a specialized, mobile group of space experts—typically consisting of six personnel—that integrates into a ground commander’s staff. Their primary mission is to maximize tactical advantages provided by space-based assets, such as satellite communications, GPS-enabled precision, and environmental monitoring.

Core Capabilities of an ARSST

• Space Force Enhancement: Providing precision navigation and timing (PNT), satellite communications (SATCOM), and missile warning to ensure a commander’s "eyes and ears" remain operational.

• Space Situational Awareness: Monitoring the space domain to identify potential interference or solar weather that could disrupt ground operations.

• Space Control & Mitigation: Identifying and planning against adversary attempts to jam or degrade GPS and communication signals.

• Commercial Imagery Integration: Utilizing high-resolution commercial satellite data for rapid terrain analysis when organic military assets are overtasked.

Professional Expertise: Major Benjamin L. Young

Major Benjamin L. Young is a highly qualified Space Operations Officer (FA40) with extensive experience leading elite technical teams in the space domain. His expertise is centered on the technical employment of space systems and the analysis of complex orbital mechanics.

Pioneering Leadership in the 6th Space Company During his tenure with the 6th Space Company, Major Young served as the Deputy Team Leader for a premier Army Space Support Team. Under his leadership, this team became the first in the company’s history to achieve Table 8 Certification.

• The Table 8 Standard: Table 8 represents the "gold standard" for space team proficiency. It is a rigorous certification process that ensures a team can operate independently, solving complex space-related problems in high-stress, contested environments.

• Operational Impact: Achieving the company’s first Table 8 certification established a new benchmark for readiness and technical proficiency within the unit, ensuring the 6th Space Company could provide unmatched support to the Warfighter.

Related Credentials:

• FA40 Space Operations Officer: Formally trained to lead and synchronize space-based effects.

• M.S. in Space Systems Operations Management: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Webster University, specializing in the engineering and technical management of space assets.

• Inaugural Company Commander: Previously served as the first commander of the 23rd Space Company, leading the stand-up of critical U.S. Army Reserve space capabilities.