On January 12, NextGen Federal Systems (NextGen) announced the award of its first prime contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Space-domain Wide Area Tracking and Characterization (Space-WATCH) program.
This contract marks a significant milestone in NextGen’s capabilities within the space domain, delivering innovative solutions for real-time tracking of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO). NextGen teamed with Ansys Government Initiatives (AGI), the United States national security division of Ansys, and Space Exploration Engineering (SEE) to develop their Space-WATCH solution.
Recognized as market leaders in this mission area, NextGen’s team will focus on developing advanced real-time automated data fusion and exploitation capabilities. Leveraging a wide array of sensors from both commercial and government satellites, the Space-WATCH program aims to enhance space domain awareness and provide operators with critical, real-time data for proactive asset protection.
NextGen’s technical approach includes the development of innovative orbit determination (OD) techniques and Initial Orbit Determination (IOD) methods, which utilize data from non-traditional sensors not typically designed for Space Situational Awareness (SSA). Additionally, NextGen will integrate automated data calibration mechanisms using advanced machine learning (ML) models to ensure high accuracy and efficiency in space domain awareness.
“This contract award by DARPA highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of our team at NextGen. We’re excited to apply our expertise to this new partnership and develop innovative solutions that will push the boundaries of space operations. We’re confident our contributions will make a significant impact and help drive the mission forward,” said Joe Robertson, vice president of NextGen Federal Systems.
Source: NextGen Federal Systems
Start 2025 ahead of the competition with a paid subscription to IC News. You’ll get full access to our searchable archive of 13,000+ articles, plus new articles each weekday.
By 
