The U.S. Space Force intends to employ a revolutionary “plug and play” satellite interface, engineered by The Aerospace Corporation, in an upcoming mission under its Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program. This program's primary goal is to validate technologies and tactics that significantly reduce the time required for launching payloads, such as surveillance sensors, into orbit.
Col. Bryon McClain, program executive officer at the Space Systems Command, announced on Dec. 11 that the military is actively pursuing more standardized satellite designs and plans to test a modular interface system called Handle, a creation of The Aerospace Corporation, in a future TacRS mission.
Handle is a standardized electrical interface designed for seamless integration of satellite payloads into a standardized modular architecture. This simplifies payload integration onto satellite platforms. The technology’s effectiveness was previously demonstrated during Aerospace’s Slingshot 1 mission in July 2022, and the Space Force’s Space Safari office plans to integrate it into the forthcoming Victus Salo mission.
At the Spacepower Conference, McClain emphasized the critical need for increased flexibility and speed in satellite development. He stated that traditional satellite development timelines are far too slow to effectively counter modern threats. “The whole idea behind the TacRS program is to build an acquisition culture that can move faster than adversaries,” he explained.
A responsive space mission would involve the U.S. military launching a surveillance satellite to swiftly inspect a suspected anti-satellite weapon or other objects posing a potential threat to U.S. spacecraft.
The Handle interface could significantly accelerate satellite integration, providing a “plug-and-play” solution for faster satellite assembly and launch preparation. The Space Force is keen on standardized platforms supporting various payloads—whether commercially developed or military-specific—without extensive customization.
“The future of affordable space is where there’s an ability to have different payloads and more common bus interfaces,” McClain observed.
Victus Salo, scheduled for launch in fall 2026, is one of several missions under the TacRS initiative demonstrating the Space Force’s capacity for rapid-response launches and enhanced space domain awareness. Victus Salo will utilize SpaceX’s rideshare program for deployment into low Earth Orbit (LEO) and will carry a government-provided payload from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory.
McClain characterized Victus Salo as an “initial learning state” for integrating modular architectures into responsive space missions. “This is not the end state. This is the initial learning state, pulling some of the threads on the ability to exchange data, and understanding what makes sense,” he noted.
The Space Safari office awarded a $34.5 million contract to Impulse Space to provide launch services and orbital maneuver vehicles for both Victus Salo and another mission, Victus Surgo, which will launch a commercially developed payload. These vehicles will offer the necessary propulsion and mobility for rapidly positioning satellites in response to events.