BAE Systems to Design Jam-Resistant Space Terminals
The U.S. Space Force contract focuses on modular hardware for secure, multi-orbit data transport.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Space
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BAE Systems has been awarded a U.S. Space Force contract to design and demonstrate a new class of ultra-compact radio-frequency terminals. This research-stage development aims to enable jam-resistant data transport across assets in low Earth to geosynchronous Earth orbits.
Why it matters
The project serves a Department of Defense initiative to harden space-based communications against signal interference. By standardizing connectivity across varied orbital ranges, the military seeks to improve data resilience for critical orbital infrastructure.
The system utilizes software-defined radios and an open Application Programming Interface for beam-steering to manage cross-orbit connectivity. Its architecture supports operational ranges from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous Earth orbit, exceeding the scope of legacy point-to-point links.
The players
BAE Systems
A global defense contractor that develops aerospace, communications, and intelligence hardware for government and military clients.
U.S. Space Force
The branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for space warfare and the protection of space-based assets.
The details
Engineers will design terminals using software-defined radios, which replace traditional hardware-based radio components with flexible, reprogrammable code. The system uses an open Application Programming Interface (API) — a set of rules allowing different software programs to communicate — to handle beam-steering, the process of directing a radio signal in a specific direction. Development efforts involve rigorous testing in simulated orbital environments, focusing on command sequences, frequency agility, and crosslink acquisition timelines.
Timeline
October 15, 2026: BAE Systems announces the U.S. Space Force contract award.
The Tech Race
This project aligns with a broader Department of Defense push to move away from proprietary satellite hardware toward open-standard, interoperable systems. It positions BAE Systems to lead the next generation of modular space communications architecture relative to traditional siloed orbital terminal development.
This technology is strictly a defense-sector procurement currently in the prototype design phase. The hardware will eventually influence military workflows by allowing more consistent data exchange between ground stations and satellites across diverse orbital altitudes.
The takeaway
The success of this terminal design will be judged by the efficiency of its beam-steering and signal resilience during simulated orbital tests. Observers should track BAE Systems' transition from prototyping to its planned high-rate manufacturing phase as a sign of deployment readiness.
Further reading
For more on evolving orbital communications, visit Space.
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Should the U.S. increase investment in space-based military communication infrastructure?
