The Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded SpiderOak a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to deliver a High-Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) enhanced with microsegmentation across SDA's Network Established Beyond the Upper Limits of the Atmosphere (NEBULA) on-orbit "red" networks.

This effort represents the first time zero-trust concepts such as decentralized identity-based authentication and authorization, coupled with local, at-the-edge policy decision and enforcement will be deployed in orbit. By offering these capabilities directly into SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), the program ensures mission resiliency, high availability, and uncompromising data protection including contested environments.

"The adoption of decentralized security services and advanced data protections and access ensure mission success and resilient architectures across space and all domains", said Russell Teehan, Technical Director for Space Development Agency.

The Technology Advantage

SpiderOak selected Collins Aerospace's Apollo crypto module as the High Assurance encryption solution. Apollo is a secure and programmable module that uses flexible encryption functions to protect sensitive information. This flexibility allows warfighters and guardians to securely access data and applications at the tactical edge, without sacrificing speed, agility, or security.

By combining Apollo with SpiderOak's microsegmentation and zero-trust software stack, mission system providers can integrate advanced cyber protections seamlessly without the need for additional hardware. The joint solution enables fine-grained segmentation of data flows, continuous verification of trust, and rapid containment of potential adversarial activity, ensuring the integrity of space-based networks even under attack.

A Strategic Partnership for the Future of Space Cybersecurity

"We are pleased to collaborate with Collins Aerospace to deliver a combined solution for advanced architectures enabling the Department of War to realize their goal of zero-trust adoption even across mission architectures requiring high assurance and availability operating in space or at the tactical edge," said Kip Gering, CEO of SpiderOak.

"Secure, resilient communications are needed for U.S. servicemembers and Guardians' operations," said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager for Command, Control, Communications, Cyber and Intelligence (C4I) and Autonomy Solutions at Collins Aerospace. "Collins' encryption technology ensures network data is protected at the tactical edge."

About the Contract

The award was made under the SpaceWERX SBIR program, which fosters partnerships between small businesses and Space Force units to accelerate innovation and commercialization. By leveraging the SBIR model, SpiderOak is delivering cybersecurity capabilities to SDA while strengthening the U.S. space industrial base.

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