Anduril receives nearly $100M deal to modernize Space Surveillance Network
The Space Force’s acquisition arm has tapped defense technology firm Anduril to upgrade the service’s Space Surveillance Network (SSN) with enhanced autonomous networking capabilities, the company announced Thursday.
Under the five-year, $99.7 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract, Anduril will integrate its Lattice software into the SSN to create a mesh network that will enable autonomous processing and distribution of data from the architecture’s vast network of military space sensors. U.S. Space Command has directed the firm to complete deploying the capability by the end of 2026, according to a company press release.
“With Lattice, Anduril is providing a cutting-edge, resilient mesh communications architecture that links sensors, data repositories, and command and control nodes with low-latency, high-bandwidth connections,” the release stated.
The SSN is a global network of ground-based sensor systems distributed worldwide that’s able to detect, identify and catalog objects in space — ranging from space debris, expended rocket boosters and satellites. Upgrading the legacy architecture is a key priority for Spacecom, which relies on the technology for its space domain awareness mission to track objects in orbit and determine whether they are a threat to U.S. systems.
Anduril’s mesh network is called the Space Domain Awareness Network (SDANet) and is designed to replace the Space Defense Interface Network (SDIN) — a point-to-point network architecture used for SSN sensors. The network is about four decades old and outdated in terms of how quickly and efficiently it can move data.
“SDANet will replace legacy communications systems with a resilient mesh network capable of facilitating seamless sensor-to-sensor tasking, rapid data sharing with mission partners, and unparalleled flexibility to onboard new systems or partners swiftly,” the Anduril release stated. “The platform’s flexibility provided a solution for today and tomorrow’s threats and is basis for Program of Record memorandum to implement across the entire Space Surveillance Network.”
Anduril has been working on modernizing the SSN with Space Systems Command since 2022, when it began deploying SDANet at select sites in Maui, Hawaii. The contractor is also in discussions to integrate with other projects across the Space Force’s space domain awareness architecture, according to the company.
“Our commitment to meeting the SDANet mission requirements ensures that the U.S. Space Force has the tools to maintain space domain awareness and warfighting capabilities, both now and in the future,” the release stated.
