LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — Space Systems Command (SSC), in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has awarded a $2 million contract to PredaSAR, of Boca Raton, Florida. The contract will support an on-orbit cooperative demonstration between the PredaSAR satellite constellation and the joint SSC, AFRL, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack satellite constellation.
The Commercially Augmented Space Inter-Networked Operations (CASINO) program office, managed by SSC’s Space Development Corps and a partner to the DARPA-led Blackjack program, is coordinating this demonstration in conjunction with the launch of the Blackjack constellation. Together, the Blackjack and PredaSAR constellations will demonstrate the military utility of proliferated Low Earth Orbit satellite architectures. The project strengthens partnerships across the DoD while also working with industry partners to leverage unique commercial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data capabilities to thwart adversarial threats in space and on the ground.
Key to the demonstration will be the deployment of government-developed optical inter-satellite links hosted onboard the PredaSAR satellites to facilitate high-speed data transfer. This will create a government-commercial hybrid architecture in LEO, allowing a government constellation to utilize data collected from commercial ISR satellites.
“This innovative hybrid architecture will demonstrate accelerated data transfer timelines. Accessing commercial ISR data and reducing data transfer timelines are critical components in addressing the evolving threats to our space systems and our national security,” said Col Brian Denaro, program executive officer for Space Development.
Space Systems Command (SSC), headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is a U.S. Space Force field command responsible for developing and acquiring lethal and resilient space capabilities for warfighters by rapidly identifying, prototyping, fielding and sustaining innovative, space-based solutions to meet the demands of the National Defense Strategy. SSC’s functions include developmental testing, production, launch, on-orbit checkout, and maintenance of USSF space systems, as well as and oversight of USSF science and technology activities.
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