The War in Space: America
In 2019, the US decides to create a new branch of the military to reflect the growing importance and independence of space-based operations. The US Space Command's first mission was to complete the Freedom Star.
The Freedom Star is a massive space station designed to be the lynchpin of the American's orbital defense grid. Essentially functioning like an uplink in space, its command and control functions were designed to orchestrate any orbital conflict independently of groundside support. The Freedom Star is only at 30% operational at the start of the war, owing to the destruction of the Freedom IV lifter. Still, it is immensely important to American operations in space, and as a symbol.
The Freedom Star is largely unarmed, with only a few point defense weapon systems in place. The defense of the F-Star falls to a network of defense satellites made up of three main varieties. The first layer of defense is a shell of Jamming satellites whose role it is to interfere with detection systems attempting to target the F-Star. The second layer of defense is a layer of point-defense satellites whose role it is to destroy or deflect incoming missiles meant for the F-Star. The third line of defense are 'bouncer' satellites; massive satellites used to shield the F-Star in a last resort. The Freedom Star itself has limited maneuvering ability and can 'dodge' some attacks. Similar defenses are employed to protect the Kinetic Rod Deployment Satellites, America's main offensive capability in space. The Rods are well protected, but still vulnerable, and are only deployed in extreme circumstances.
America's vast network of military satellites, once its unique military advantage, has been beset on all sides. Over 75% of American satellites have been neutralized, some destroyed outright, some damaged an non-functional, and about 7% captured by enemy forces. Many of these were older models, not cut out for the new generation of warfare, but this was regardless a bitter pill for the new SpaceCom.
America's space advantage had seemingly evaporated overnight with the advent of war, but the new generation of satellites was already being put into place. Defensive satellites went up to defend critical communications and recon satellites, while deadly offensive satellites struck back.
A typical American offensive satellite is the "Shrike" DS-4. The Shrike is a disposable attack satellite, not meant for reuse or recovery. Many kill-sats (Killer satellites) early in the war are similarly one-use. The Shrike is three meters long, two meters wide, has a stealthy design, radar array, onboard battery power, and a simple ballistic flechette gun as its only armament. It is meant to maneuver close to its victim and discharge the flechette gun at close range to eliminate the target before moving on to its next victim. The DS-4 can operate free of command signal on its own initiative, systematically disabling all nearby targets until it is no longer effective. The usual tactic used in a Shrike attack is to send it into enemy territory with whatever list of targets can be provided and to switch on the automated attack protocol.
America is still constructing durable killsats alongside the ultra-secret "Project Caravel", a manned combat space vessel designed to act as the command and control locus of a swarm of killsats. Both the durable killsat and Project Caravel are still in development in 2021.