Space and Missile Test and Evaluation Center

The Space and Missile Test and Evaluation Center is a research and development program executed by the Acquisition Delta - Innovation and Prototyping, Space Systems Command at Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB), NM. Its primary objective is to innovate, prototype, and evaluate ground systems to support the United States Space Force (USSF), Department of Defense (DoD), and other government mission partners while speeding the transition of war-winning capabilities. The program focuses on developing, acquiring, delivering, integrating, testing, operating, and sustaining the Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) satellite command and control (C2) Ground System Enterprise (GSE) for existing experimental and prototype missions. Additionally, it aims to develop cyber resiliency strategies and evaluate effects and trades between on-premises” versus cloud-based architectures.

The program also leads the transfer of approved on-orbit missions to operational command organizations such as Space Operations Command. It performs prototype and technology evaluation for multiple USSF missions to include the Enterprise Ground Services, Space Domain Awareness missions, and other mission areas as required. The program's specific goals include evolving hardware-based Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) architectures for full cybersecurity compliance, developing cloud-enabled ground system capabilities to transform the RSC into a more modular solution for space prototype missions, and continuing to develop automated mission planning tools to decrease the requirement for additional manpower to fly satellites. The program also aims to monitor, develop, and mitigate cyber risks while ensuring cyber accreditations to receive approval to operate (ATO) and coordinating cyber-defense capabilities.