Raytheon Technologies’ BBN division and SpiderOak have announced a new partnership aimed at developing and fielding a new generation of zero-trust security systems for Satellite Communications in proliferated low-Earth orbit (pLEO).

The partnership between Raytheon BBN and SpiderOak will combine SpiderOak’s OrbitSecure solution with Raytheon BBN’s Distributed, Disrupted, Disconnected and Denied (D4) secure cloud solution. The goal is to ensure the resilience of mesh networks in contested environments.

According to Raytheon BBN President Jason Redi, “This partnership is paving the way toward secure, on-demand, Geostationary Equatorial Orbit network-like pLEO communications.” He went on to explain that Raytheon’s networking technology will ensure that the satellite constellation provides the best routing solution during normal operation, while also dynamically supporting autonomous cross-link routing during disrupted environments.

SpiderOak’s technology, on the other hand, will allow the companies to maintain distributed secure operations with high efficiency, particularly when the constellation is reconfiguring and paths are not preplanned.

“This cooperative effort reflects a common vision for a disruption-tolerant space networking future, which will be important for all mesh networks, and absolutely vital for the future of battle management command and control,” said Charles Beames, SpiderOak executive chairman.

The combined solution can be applied across multi-vendor constellations despite orbital or malicious dynamics and will provide maximum resilience and efficiency in difficult or hostile operating environments. This includes cyber and kinetic threats that require on-orbit network and network function redundancy and flexibility.

During the one-year effort, Raytheon, Raytheon BBN, SEAKR Engineering, and SpiderOak will integrate the capability developed during phase one into space-qualified hardware with the goal of making it flight-ready.

Work on D4-Secure is being conducted in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Reston, Virginia; and Centennial, Colorado.

The development of zero-trust security systems for satellite communications is becoming increasingly important as more companies and organizations rely on satellite technology for communication and data transfer. With the growth of low-Earth orbit constellations, the need for secure and reliable communications has become even more critical.

The pLEO environment presents unique challenges for satellite communications, including the need for mesh networks that can operate in contested environments. The new zero-trust security systems being developed by Raytheon and SpiderOak will address these challenges and provide a more secure and reliable communication network for satellite users.

As the use of satellite technology continues to grow, the need for advanced security solutions will only increase. The partnership between Raytheon BBN and SpiderOak is an important step forward in meeting these security challenges and ensuring the reliability of satellite communications in low-Earth orbit.

Raytheon Technologies’ BBN division and SpiderOak have partnered to develop and field a new generation of zero-trust security systems for satellite communications in proliferated low-Earth orbit. The partnership aims to combine SpiderOak’s OrbitSecure solution with Raytheon BBN’s D4 secure cloud solution to ensure the resilience of mesh networks in contested environments. The combined solution can be applied across multi-vendor constellations despite orbital or malicious dynamics and will provide maximum resilience and efficiency in difficult or hostile operating environments. The development of these zero-trust security systems is an important step forward in ensuring the reliability of satellite communications in low-Earth orbit.

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