WASHINGTON — The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), a specialized division within the U.S. Space Force, has launched the first phase of a project aimed at developing a cloud-based satellite operations infrastructure.
This initiative is part of the Rapid Resilient Command and Control (R2C2) program, which seeks to modernize ground systems for more agile and responsive satellite management.
In June, Space RCO selected 20 technology companies to participate in the R2C2 program, an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract estimated to be worth $1 billion over five to seven years. The IDIQ structure allows the government to order services from the selected vendors as needed without committing to a fixed quantity upfront.
As part of the initial phase, Space RCO announced Sept. 25 it will award $600,000 contracts to each of the 20 vendors. The contracts will enable these firms to better understand the program’s requirements and allow Space RCO to evaluate their ability to work with classified information.
More flexible satellite ops
The R2C2 program’s goal is to assist the U.S. Space Force in transitioning from legacy command-and-control systems to cloud-based architectures. A modern ground infrastructure is expected to give military operators the ability to swiftly reposition satellites in response to emerging threats or operational needs. This includes capabilities like relocating satellites, planning rendezvous and proximity operations, and reallocating antennas with more efficiency than is possible with current systems.
In August, as part of ongoing tests, the R2C2 team said it successfully transmitted eleven commands from a commercial cloud to an on-orbit U.S. Space Force satellite, with all commands acknowledged by the spacecraft.
“The program is deliberately acquiring software systems in bite-sized pieces from companies with a broad mix of specialties, and Space RCO remains open to including more vendors,” said Kelly Hammett, director of Space RCO, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
