Pathfinding USSF MOSA Adoption Utilizing Ring-Based and Small Spacecraft

The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s (SMC) Directorate of Innovation and Prototyping is evolving the concept of medium and small class combat bus to provide on-orbit warfighter and systems support and advance the open systems architecture. We begin with a Long-Duration Propulsive ESPA ring with six ports for multiple small hosted and/or separable satellites and prototypes (aka SMC’s “Freight Train to Space”). By adding communication, open processing, maneuverability, and refueling options, a ring that was once “just hardware” becomes an outpost in GEO and an integral part of a hybrid architecture. Envision adding more outposts along the GEO belt and the result is a robust architecture for cross-linking satellite systems and extending warfighting missions worldwide. Tetra, our small-class combat bus program, fits on one of these ESPA ports and provides additional options to host smaller prototypes and a key training capability. These programs mark the beginning of a new USSF architecture, and will deliver capabilities to orbit faster, smarter, and more affordably than ever before