From speeding up space data processing to forging new commercial partnerships, innovative space solutions are soaring in Space Systems Command’s (SSC) annual Flight Tonight competition, with seven teams advancing to the final round this week.
The SSC’s annual Fight Tonight competition debuted three years ago seeking to empower solutions in alignment with the critical Space Force mission of ensuring a secure space domain for all. The competition is open to all SSC government employees and all ideas must have an operational sponsor from the Space Operations Command to validate that the proposal is operationally relevant.
This year, SSC challenged participants to address key areas including reducing operator workload, improving space situational awareness, enhancing the common operating picture for ops centers, supporting operations in denied areas, and boosting the resiliency of Tracking, Telemetry, and Command systems.
Rachel Souder-Arguedas, director of Atlas X, which organized the competition, thanked the finalists at the end of the presentations, and noted that part of the purpose of the competition “was to make sure that all employees here feel like they have a voice, a way to participate and share their ideas.”
The finalist include:
- Capt. McKenna Medina, director of the Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking cell at SSC’s Space Sensing Program Office, who opened the final presentation session by reviewing her team’s proposal for a pre-mission planning tool, the Precursor Refinement and Investigation Mapping for Exploration Recommendations (PRIMER). PRIMER analyzes satellite data to quickly identify “hot spots” for further investigation, delivering tactical data to warfighters 33 percent faster and cheaper.
- Maj. Donovan Hutchins, lead for Assured Access to Space Operations, who introduced the Launch Logistics, Execution, and Programmatic System (LEAPS), which integrates and centralizes launch scheduling, managing a diverse range of data sources including supply chain management and launch operations. LEAPS aims to transform siloed data into actionable insights, supporting decisions at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
- 2nd Lt. Devrin Chullanandana, who alongside Lt. Col. Brian Kester presented the Joint Antenna Marketplace (JAM), a centralized platform to connect government and commercial antennas to Space Force missions. JAM addresses concerns about the Satellite Control Network’s capacity to handle the increasing number of satellites, aiming to reduce scheduling conflicts and ensure better resource allocation.
- Apoorva Bhopale from the Air Force Research Laboratory who presented the Space COP on SIPR, a version of the Space Defense Characterization and Control System (SDCCS) that provides real-time space situational awareness. SDCCS is already in use by the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Navy, helping operators track objects in orbit, with future funding expanding its reach to tactical levels and improving decision-making across echelons.
- Capt. Trenton Harper of SSC’s Space Domain Awareness program who proposed the Super-Synchronous Small Satellite Surveillance System (S6), a pair of free-flying satellites designed to enhance GEO monitoring. By leveraging commercial cloud processing, S6 could bypass legacy systems and deliver actionable intelligence rapidly during wartime. S6 would also integrate with commercial networks to improve resiliency in case of system overloads or attacks.
- Additionally, in a joint presentation, Capt. Harper outlined the Space Data Network Overlay Framework, a solution designed to provide rapid connectivity across multi-orbital SATCOM networks to tactical edges, reducing communication planning time.
- Maj. Sean Allen from SSC’s Space Domain Awareness TAP Lab who presented “Dungeons and Dragons,” a capability designed to detect space-domain camouflage, concealment, and deception. This tool identifies anomalies that could indicate hidden adversary space assets, ensuring U.S. systems are protected and enemy assets are uncovered.
Winners will be announced Nov. 15, at the Space Force Ball in Los Angeles. Up to $12 million is available to fund the idea or ideas that win.
