The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is preparing the U.S. military to fight and win future wars with a project that will revolutionize the U.S. military's command and control capabilities over its military satellites.

The project is called Hallmark Software Testbed (Hallmark-ST) and it will  develop and test a new generation of technologies that will command and control U.S. satellites, spacecraft and other orbital assets.

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As envisioned by DARPA, Hallmark-ST will have a high degree of flexibility; will be scalable to different missions and will boast simulation capabilities to model future systems.

Its first stage will be to design, develop, and maintain a state-of-the-art enterprise software architecture for the integration of multiple tools and capabilities that will support space enterprise command and control.

Developments made under the Hallmark-ST program will serve as the core of DARPA's planned Hallmark Space Evaluation and Analysis Capability (SEAC) testbed. SEAC will be responsible for further maturing the technology, leading to a level of situational awareness that will grant US forces a tactical edge on the battlefield -- from space.

DARPA is asking industry to submit research proposals for the Software Testbed part of the Hallmark program.

"We envision a system that would fuse information from diverse sources and vastly reduce the overall time required to make and execute decisions and observe results," said Brad Tousley, director of DARPA's Tactical Technology Office.

"For example, an intuitive user interface incorporating 3D visualization technology would present complex information in novel ways and provide commanders with unprecedented awareness and comprehension.

"An advanced testbed featuring playback and simulation capabilities would significantly facilitate research and development activities, experiments, and exercises to evaluate new technologies for their impact on space command and control capabilities."

DARPA plans to award up to $16 million in funds for the Hallmark-ST program's initial base period; $4 million for the second optional phase and $1.5 million for the third optional phase.

TagsDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, Hallmark Software Testbed, Hallmark-ST, Space Evaluation and Analysis Capability