Even before the Sshel'ath made contact with alien races, the skies above Sshel'a were littered with thousands of defense satellites which ringed their world. Such satellites were originally built not to defend from threats from above but combat threats from below. Such nuclear launch platforms were used as an equalizer to keep opposing powers in check.

Following the first contact and the formation of the Sshel'ath Alliance, satellites like the Vadikar Micro-Satellite were shifted to use as planetary defense satellites. The intense cold war atmosphere that embroiled Sshel'ath politics had the serendipitous effect of leaving Sshel'a extremely well defended from foreign attack. Though primitive, early satellites such as the Vadikar were more than capable of dealing fatal blows to enemy warships.

The Vadikar was the most common satellite used during this period. Other, smaller satellites did exist, but were weaker in comparison.