BROOMFIELD, Colo., - Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colo., Loft Federal in Providence, R.I., and Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., announced that they are working together on the Space Development Agency (SDA)'s experimental testbed program, called NExT, that will carry 10 satellites with experimental payloads into orbit.
SDA announced the contract award last fall. Ball Aerospace is the prime contractor, leading payload and spacecraft integration and test. Ball Aerospace selected Loft Federal to perform spacecraft integration and testing, procure commercial launch services and oversee the launch campaign, and operate the constellation on orbit. Microsoft will provide Azure Government cloud and ground station infrastructure with secure satellite operations post launch as well as productivity solutions to drive mission critical communications.
Loft Federal will use Loft Orbital's turnkey satellite platform and satellite operations software, called Cockpit, for a secure, fast and simple path to orbit. This satellite platform leverages the flight-proven Longbow bus with over 500 examples on orbit and comes from Loft Orbital's inventory of over 30 pre-ordered buses. Loft Orbital's modular payload interface allows rapid integration and will be operated using Cockpit. By integrating industry proven components and cutting-edge software, Loft Federal is able to quickly deliver assets to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to meet SDA NExT mission requirements.
SDA NExT builds upon Microsoft's Azure Space products and partnerships. Central to Microsoft's solution for NExT is the combination of Azure Orbital Ground Station and Azure Government air-gapped clouds, which will allow SDA to do their mission work in a secure cloud environment. Through NExT, together the SDA and U.S. Space Force will securely operate a government owned satellite constellation with Azure Orbital Ground Station's global network for the first time. Additionally, Microsoft 365 will also provide them with productivity tools to enable personnel to share information, which will help ensure a coordinated response.
