Space Force eyes overhauling 3 million lines of obsolescent software for next-generation nuclear-monitoring
PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. – U.S. Space Force experts are approaching industry to overhaul nuclear-monitoring computers and software that help ensure compliance to international nuclear weapons treaties.
Officials of the U.S. Air Force Technical Application Center (AFTAC) at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla., issued a sources-sought notice (FA702225R0007) on Tuesday for the Geophysical Signal Exploitation System (GeoSES) project.
This initiative seeks to replace the AFTAC National Data Center with the future Geophysical Signal Exploitation System (GeoSES). The project will involve overhauling more than 3 million lines of obsolescent software code written in more than a dozen programming languages.
The software engineering program aims to preserve algorithms that detect signals, extract features, and maintain prior code investments by transforming the existing monolithic software architecture into a more modular framework better able to interoperate with new computing technologies and software.
Migrating software code
Efforts will migrate software code to modern supportable programming languages, and capitalize on cloud computing for scalability, reliability, and cost-efficiency where practical.
Space Force officials are putting a priority on open-systems standards to keep vendor lock-in to a minimum, and ensure system flexibility for expansion. Work will convert and refactor existing software code, and upgrade code where necessary for cyber security that follows zero-trust principles.
The project will update software documentation and test procedures, and make sure legacy components will work together with new capabilities.
National Data Center software dates to the 1990s, is a monolithic tightly coupled system that is difficult to maintain, and is incompatible with today's cloud-ready environments, Space Force officials say.
For now, Space Force is asking industry to help detail the work and costs of moving National Data Center capabilities to the future GeoSES.
Space Force will brief industry on the GeoSES project in two separate industry days -- the first on 6 May 2025, and the second on 10 June 2025. Briefings will be at The Tides club and restaurant, 1001 North Highway A1A, S. Atlantic Ave., at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla.
Industry briefings
Register for the GeoSES industry briefings no later than 2 May 2025 by email to the Space Force's David Dike at [email protected], and Lileana Moran at [email protected].
Companies interested should email white papers with their GeoSES project suggestions no later than 22 Aug. 2025 to David Dike at [email protected], and Lileana Moran at [email protected].
Email questions or concerns to David Dike at [email protected], and Lileana Moran at [email protected]. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/48073380653b4bc999d8e6eb353cbea1/view.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
