prioritizes functioning software and reduces bureaucracy. ESS also utilizes digital engineering and digital twins to both reduce in- tegration risk and create training and warfighting simulations that will mir- ror operations. Iterative integration events will reduce integration risk and ensure cyber resilience of all software. Ground Software Acquisition Strategy We competed GRIFFON in sepa- rate mission-capability segments to promote industry collaboration and best-of-breed vendors for each com- ponent. GRIFFON includes the follow- ing lines of effort: • Framework. Modular Open Sys- tems Approach, capable of on- boarding and hosting multiple mission applications and services. • Ground Integration. Ground inter- nal and external interfaces that in- clude but are not limited to Com- mand and Control (C2) terminals, Space Ground Link System, user terminals, key management infra- structure, and common services/ standards. • SoSI. ESS space-ground-crypto- graphic terminal integration. • Mission Applications. Mission Communications Planning, In- Band C2, Out-of-Band C2, test- ing and training, and any future application needs. The government’s intent for the Mission Planning Applications Suite is to use modern iterative software development methodologies (e.g., Agile), modern tools and techniques
(e.g., DevSecOps and common appli- cation programming interfaces), and user-centric design (e.g., automation and intuitive user interfaces). The government also requires solutions that continuously leverage and incor- porate relevant commercial techno- logical advancements while simul- taneously managing risks against cyberattacks, mission assurance, and resiliency measures. A typical Space Systems Com- mand operational ground system takes approximately 12 years to begin fielding; ESS will field an operational ground system in under six years. The shortened timelines are a direct result of the Software Acquisition Pathway and the unique prototyping strategy. The GRIFFON suite of applications controls satellites on orbit, monitors space vehicle state of health, and pro- vides communication system plan- ning and monitoring. The ESS Mission Planning software application provides optimized net- work and resource allocation across the global constellation for strategic users. It further provides flexible and resilient contingency mission plan- ning, apportions communication bandwidth to support ever-changing operational environments, and allows the president of the United States, na- tional leaders, and international part- ners to access and control satellite protocol messages. The ESS Mission Planning soft- ware serves as the linchpin of provid- ESS Mission Planning Software Application
Planning will ensure that continuity of service. The competitive prototyping ef- forts that ESS utilized to acquire and develop the software showcased an approach not previously used for DoD software acquisition on this scale. As a result, ESS was able to drastically shorten fielding timelines and system costs. Conservative estimates show that ESS ground software will deliver user-driven capability twice as fast as an average traditional ground system acquisition. The Mission Planning Case Study The ESS Mission Planning software acquisition is unique and has an in- teresting backstory that developed the innovative approach. As GRIF- FON was acquired through several separate competitions, each iterative software acquisition was built on the lessons learned from the previous prototyping competitions. A key takeaway was that any ven- dor that bids on a software contract can state that they would use Agile and industry best practices, but many vendors that win competitions on paper-based source selections do not follow through on their proposal promises. To ensure that best-of- breed vendors would be chosen for ESS prototyping, it became appar- ent that we needed a “ show us how you build software” approach instead of a “ tell us how you will build soft- ware” approach to acquiring the ESS ground system. This concept evolved into an ini- tial software bake-off period prior to awarding any prototyping contracts, so that instead of asking vendors for a lengthy tech volume that would never go into the contract, they would build software in a government-defined scenario and demonstrate it to op- erators before entering a competi- tive prototyping phase. The ability to choose vendors based on software coding best practices will ensure that the lowest risk and best value software is developed that meets
ing critical worldwide strategic on-orbit SAT- COM resources and capability in a no-fail mission. On a bad day, the president and na- tional leaders will need the ability
to communicate and command nuclear assets, and ESS Mission
50 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION | March-April 2025
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