Space Force Weighs Eight AI Projects for $12M

The Fight Tonight competition will announce funded AI projects for near-term space capabilities at a November event in Los Angeles.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Isometric editorial illustration of a cluster of parabolic antenna dishes angled toward a dark sky, in muted teal, mustard, and cream. — Space Systems Command is weighing eight AI projects for up to $12 million in funding through its Fight Tonight competition, with winners to be announced in November in Los Angeles. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Space Systems Command is considering eight artificial intelligence projects for funding through its Fight Tonight competition, the fifth annual edition run by its AtlasX unit. The projects are at the proposal and consideration stage, not deployed systems, and SSC has said it will prioritize up to $12 million across traditional and small-business projects.

Why it matters

The competition is designed to identify near-term space capabilities using AI, placing the Space Force's funding decisions at the edge of operational use rather than long-range research. SpaceWERX may also support Small Business Innovation Research projects that come through the competition, which would extend the effort beyond the immediate prize pool.

Space Systems Command is weighing eight AI projects against a budget of up to $12 million, with the figure covering both traditional and small-business proposals. The projects were presented as proposals to senior Space Force leaders on Oct. 7, and their technical performance has not been independently measured in the source material. Which projects advance, and at what funding levels, remains unresolved until the winners are announced.

The players

Space Systems Command (SSC)

The Space Force command that runs acquisition and technology development, with its AtlasX unit organizing the Fight Tonight competition and SpaceWERX supporting small-business research.

Microsoft

A major cloud and AI platform company whose tools are part of the Orbital Sentinel proposal.

Metronome

A partner in the TEMPO proposal applying an AI agent to launch-range scheduling.

The details

Fight Tonight is a competition in which teams pitch AI-based approaches to space problems, and finalists present their proposals to senior Space Force leaders. The finalists presented on Oct. 7 and then answered questions and received feedback on potential partners and other funding sources. Among the proposals, Orbital Sentinel pairs AI tools with Microsoft and Nyla Technology Solutions, while TEMPO partners with Metronome to apply an AI agent to launch-range scheduling at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Oct. 7, 2026: Finalists presented their proposals to senior Space Force leaders.
Nov. 3, 2026: SSC announced it is considering eight AI projects for funding.
Nov. 13, 2026: SSC will announce the Fight Tonight winners at the Space Force Ball in Los Angeles.

The Tech Race

The Fight Tonight competition, now in its fifth annual edition, is one of the Space Force's recurring mechanisms for funding AI projects aimed at near-term space capabilities. Its focus on fielding capabilities quickly places it alongside the Space Force's broader push to bring commercial AI tools into military space operations.

For most people the immediate effect is limited, since the projects are still under consideration and no systems have been fielded. Companies and small businesses that submit proposals could see funding through the competition or related SBIR awards if their projects are selected.

The takeaway

The key trajectory is the Space Force using a recurring competition to pick AI projects it can field in the near term. Watch the Nov. 13 announcement at the Space Force Ball to see which of the eight projects, including Orbital Sentinel and TEMPO, receive funding.

What happens next

SSC will announce the Fight Tonight winners at the Air & Space Forces Association's Space Force Ball on Nov. 13 in Los Angeles, which will show which of the eight projects receive funding. SpaceWERX may then support Small Business Innovation Research projects that come through the competition.