As space has transitioned from a sanctuary to a contested domain, a hardware-centric approach to orbital assets is no longer sufficient. The United States and its allies are adopting software-defined architectures that prioritize agility, resilience, and rapid iteration to help ensure continued domination of space.
Breaking Defense discussed the threat scenarios and challenges of upgrading existing satellites with Red Hat’s Kurt Kuntzelman, Executive Strategic Account Manager – Space, and Travis Steele, Global Chief Architect.
Breaking Defense: What is the threat scenario that requires satellite operators to update satellites already on orbit?
Kuntzelman: The primary driver is the imperative to dominate the ultimate high ground. We must ensure resilience and freedom of action to protect our assets and the joint force from the evolving, pacing space-enabled threats. Gen. Salzman and Lt. Gen. Gagnon have emphasized the need to avoid operational surprise and counter adversarial moves with speed. By utilizing an open-systems architecture, we can integrate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and autonomy to create evolvable platforms where sensors and capabilities are constantly enhanced via secure, mission-critical code.
Breaking Defense: How is it possible now to upgrade software from earth to space when we couldn’t do it before? What’s changed?
Steele: Historically, space vehicles were constrained by very limited compute capacity and rigid, function-specific designs. Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements meant that hardware was built with just enough capability to perform basic tasks like thruster control.
The game-changer has been the evolution of high-performance onboard computing and the ability to apply abstraction layers to that hardware. Doing more with less allows us to deploy a sophisticated software environment that eliminates the need to launch a new vehicle every time a capability requirement changes. Furthermore, the shift in space from a communications layer to a kinetic and non-kinetic domain requires a modern approach. We must control the high ground through a software-defined lifecycle that allows for real-time maneuvers and defensive pivots that were previously impossible.
Breaking Defense: Does this capability presently exist or is it still in the demonstration phase?
Steele: This is an operational reality today. We have moved beyond theory. Last year Red Hat participated in missions that deployed the first orbital micro-data centers and hybrid-cloud regions to the International Space Station. One is a prototype from Axiom Space and the other is a microdata center multi-cloud region from Voyager Technologies. These milestones prove that a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) approach to space technology is not only possible but mature. It demonstrates that we can execute real-time AI updates and maintain a continuous delivery pipeline for software in the harshest environments imaginable.
Kuntzelman: It comes down to the speed of the mission. The proliferation of assets and the massive volume of data generated in orbit necessitate low-latency processing at the source. By providing mission capabilities at the edge, we enable satellites to analyze data where it is collected and then act. This reduces the dependency on space-to-ground data transport and closes the “OODA loop” in orbit, providing the autonomy and resilience required for modern space architectures.
Breaking Defense: Does the onboard capability to improve software have to be built into the satellite before it’s launched?
Kuntzelman: While we can leverage software-defined receivers in some existing architectures, the true power of this approach lies in modular, open-systems design from the outset. When a system is designed with a standardized software foundation on the front end, every sensor becomes a dynamic asset. This allows for a much greater capability to update and expand functionality, ensuring that satellites and sensors can continuously contribute to space domain awareness and overall mission superiority throughout their entire orbital life.
Breaking Defense: What demand signals are you seeing?
Steele: We are seeing a massive push for urgency within major funded programs. The demand for a proliferated space architecture explicitly calls for the speed, openness, and software-driven agility we are discussing. With the surge in national security launches and the expansion of lunar operations, such as building a base on the moon, the complexity is skyrocketing.
The overarching signal is the need to counter hypersonic threats and adversarial attempts to disrupt or deny our communications. The government is clear: we need real-time onboard capabilities for maneuvers and autonomous responses. In the vacuum of space, “real-time” is a difficult standard to meet, but it is achievable through a robust, automated software infrastructure.
Breaking Defense: Is this a capability that you imagine can work across multiple orbital layers?
Steele: Our strategy is built on a multi-constellation, multi-orbit mesh. We have seen in recent terrestrial conflicts how centralized data centers become primary targets; space is no different. We must build a layered architecture that offers both backward and forward interoperability. This creates a resilient, “proliferated mesh” where communications and capabilities are distributed across different layers, ensuring that if one node is compromised, the mission continues unabated.
Kuntzelman: This vision requires total integration across US and allied systems. By utilizing a unified, global software standard, we ensure that data and capabilities can be shared seamlessly across international partners. Providing a unified, secure software fabric within US and Allied critical kinetic systems allows us to provide an interoperable platform that is essential for joint and combined force mission success.
