HADES Set to Transform USSF’s 24/7 R&D Facility for Enhanced Future Joint Force Capabilities Published Dec. 5, 2025 By Lisa Sodders & Edgar Nava, Space Systems Command Public Affairs Space Systems Command’s (SSC) coming HADES contract promises to provide some heavenly upgrades for the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) 24/7 research and development satellite command and control (C2) operations center. HADES – Hybrid Architecture and Development for Experimental Systems - is the follow-on contract to the current EDIS (Engineering, Development, Integration and Sustainment Services) contract, which maintains the satellite ground systems and the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Support Complex (RSC) at Kirtland AFB. “We’re very excited to be developing the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the new HADES contract,” said USSF Col. Jonathon S. Seal, director of the Innovation and Prototyping Program Office under SSC’s System Delta 89 and the Space Combat Power (SCP) Program Executive Office. “We anticipate the new HADES contract will bring increased security, resilience, and flexibility to the RSC thanks to the incredible technological innovations of our partners in the commercial space industry,” Seal said. “This contract will enable the RSC to continue to develop innovative space technologies to keep our Nation ahead of the threat posed by our adversaries.” Maintained and sustained by SSC, the RSC is the USSF’s 24/7 research and development (R&D) satellite C2 operations center. The RSC delivers operational flexibility for new and legacy satellite missions designed to outpace adversary on-orbit systems by exploring and implementing innovative ground automation, C2, and data dissemination in concert with experimental, demonstration, and prototype space missions. Utilizing the agile Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) Ground System Enterprise (GSE) for R&D and demonstration missions, SSC Guardians develop innovative solutions to reduce operations and maintenance costs by providing a test bed to prove out emerging concepts as a viable choice for all new ground C2 programs. The MMSOC GSE enables SSC to conduct cutting edge, multi-satellite operations, tactics, techniques, and procedures to provide advanced warfighter capabilities for next-generation space systems across the entire USSF portfolio in support of future joint force operations. The anticipated ceiling for HADES is $200 million, and the estimated contract award date is December 2026, said USSF Lt. Col. John A. Purcell, contracting officer for HADES. Prior to developing the RFP for the HADES follow-on contract, the HADES team hosted an industry event on Aug. 19-20 to meet with commercial space industry representatives, answer questions, and learn what industry has to offer. Representatives from approximately 50 companies- a mix of small and large businesses - attended the event, which included 28 one-on-one discussions. Purcell said the draft RFP will be posted to SAM.gov for comments at the end of January. The previous contract, EDIS, was awarded in 2018. What makes the follow-on HADES different is that it will help the RSC move towards a Cloud-based architecture for enhanced flexibility and security, Purcell said. “Today, our ground systems and servers are located at the RSC and it’s the traditional big rack of servers with blinking lights. Now, we’re going to a Cloud-based infrastructure for this, meaning we’re not going to have to maintain old servers,” Purcell said. “For example, the memory that you have on a cell phone is primarily a Cloud-based memory, which is similar to what we’re moving to here,” Purcell said. “With satellites, there’s a lot of data, and if you can store it elsewhere and fragment it in a Cloud, it’s in a lot of ways probably more secure – it’s a lot harder for our adversaries to tap into that data,” Purcell added. Space is hard, but sustainment can be even harder, Purcell said. Just launching a satellite and inserting it into the correct orbit is a difficult challenge, but then the USSF needs to maintain the ground systems that transmit commands to maneuver the satellite and receive and process data. In addition, prototype satellites are made by multiple providers and often have coding that differs from what USSF uses, Purcell added. The HADES contract will help the RCS better integrate those differences, so satellites aren’t lost due to inefficient or conflicting coding or commands.