New Innovations in Military SATCOM Discussed at SSC Reverse Industry Day

Published Oct. 1, 2024
By Lisa Sodders SSC Public Affairs

El Segundo, CA -- Space industry professionals talked about the latest innovations in satellite broadband networks with U.S. Space Force (USSF) officials at Space Systems Command’s (SSC) MILSATCOM Reverse Industry Day September 4-5, 2024.

More than 150 professionals attended the two-day event, which featured a variety of keynote speakers and presentations as well as panel discussions with SSC and space industry leaders and investors in space and MILSATCOM technology. The second day of the event featured a series of one-on-one discussions between space industry professionals and government representatives from across the U.S. Department of Defense.

“I appreciate the strong turnout from our industry partners and the innovative ideas they shared with us,” said Mr. Cordell DeLaPena, program executive officer for Military Communications and Positioning, Navigation and Timing at SSC. “The technology and partnerships developed from Reverse Industry Days are critical for Space Systems Command and the U.S. Space Force in shaping our response to the future challenges we’ll face. These events connect emerging companies with military partners to further strengthen the space industrial base.”

Reverse Industry Days (RID) are focused on providing opportunities for SSC officials to hear directly from industry about what is possible; in contrast, a regular industry day is more focused on government telling industry what technologies government agencies are looking for.

The MILSATCOM RID was focused on advancing the Hybrid Space Architecture, into which the Defense Innovation Unit, in conjunction with the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory, are working to incorporate commercial satellite broadband innovations with military networks. In addition, the RID sought to hear industry input to support military satellite communications as the fronthaul and backhaul capability for the Space Data Network (SDN).

The fronthaul refers to the link from a deployed terminal (e.g., ship, unit, airplane, basically the warfighter on the front line) and the satellite. The backhaul is from the satellite to the gateway on the ground. The backhaul could be from the initial satellite connected to the end user and others in the system via Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISLs) to get back to a specific gateway. The Space Data Network is a communications network which extends from ground stations via relay satellites to spacecraft.

The RID sought solutions with 5-to-10-year timelines and that could feed into potential contract award opportunities for small businesses through SSC’s partnership with SpaceWERX.

The event took place at SSC’s Commercial Space Marketplace for Innovation and Collaboration (COSMIC) center in Chantilly, Virginia. COSMIC is a partnership between SSC and Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC) to facilitate SSC collaboration with commercial industry, drive synergies with government agency partners, and deliver capabilities to the warfighter with greater speed and cost efficiency. SSC speakers at the event included: DeLaPena, along with Kate Coens, SSC Futures branch chief;, Maj Jareth Lamb, SpaceWERX deputy; Capt Jeremy Swaw, Ventures Lead with SpaceWERX; Sgt. Travis Prettyman, supervisor of Intel Analysis; TSgt Paul Jackman, Intelligence Analyst; Col. Richard Kniseley, senior materiel leader for SSC’s Commercial Space Office; and Dr. David Voss, director of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center. David Brunnenmeyer, LinQuest director of Advanced Concepts, served as the Services Panel host for the second half of day one’s general session.