Space Systems Command Awards Two Contracts to Advance Dynamic Satellite Operations

Insider Brief

• The U.S. Space Force has awarded contracts to Boecore (operating as Auria) and Sphinx Defense to develop cloud-based Joint Antenna Marketplace (JAM) prototypes to enhance dynamic satellite operations.
• Boecore received an $8.1 million contract, while Sphinx Defense secured $9.5 million to build scalable JAM systems that connect satellite operations centers with both commercial and government-owned antennas.
• The JAM initiative supports the Commercial Space Strategy and recent Pentagon directives to accelerate modern software acquisition, aiming to boost scheduling flexibility, resiliency, and data transport capabilities in space operations.

PRESS RELEASE – U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) is advancing dynamic satellite operations through the Joint Antenna Marketplace program, which provides adaptive scheduling of satellite contacts and data transport workloads. SSC has selected Boecore, d/b/a Auria, and Sphinx Defense, to each develop and deploy a secure, cloud-based Joint Antenna Marketplace (JAM) prototype connecting satellite operations centers to commercial and government-owned antennas in support of U.S. and allied lethal fighting forces that contribute to ensuring the Nation’s security in, from, and to space.
 
Boecore, d/b/a Auria, was awarded a $8.1M contract and Sphinx Defense was awarded a $9.5M contract to each develop a JAM prototype which will demonstrate the core, cloud-based capabilities to support an enterprise commercial solution with an emphasis on scalability.  This represents a pivotal collaboration between government and commercial industry, aimed at enhancing scheduling flexibility, improving system resiliency, and ensuring robust support for current and future space operations at speed and scale.
 
“JAM supports the U.S. Space Force Commercial Space Strategy by integrating commercial solutions into a hybrid space architecture at speed and scale,” said USSF Col. Patrick Little, senior material leader for SSC Tactical Command, Control, and Communications. “We are exercising Other Transaction Authorities and leveraging the software acquisition pathway to fully exploit available and evolving commercial antenna capacity which will minimize development and long-term sustainment costs of purpose-built government systems.”
 
JAM embraces the March 6, 2025 directive from the Secretary of Defense on “Directing Modern Software Acquisition to Maximize Lethality” and aligns with efforts to streamline space acquisitions to speed delivery to meet emerging threats. The program is currently in the Planning Phase of the Software Acquisition Pathway and is accelerating commercial capability delivery via prototype development through SSC’s Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Authority agreement to maintain superiority in space technology and capabilities.  
 
Space Systems Command is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring, developing, and delivering resilient capabilities to outpace emerging threats and protect our Nation’s strategic advantage in, from, and to space. SSC manages a $15.6 billion annual space acquisition budget for the Department of Defense, working with joint forces, industry partners, government agencies, academia, and allied nations. For more information, visit ssc.spaceforce.mil and follow @USSF-SSC on LinkedIn.