Last week, the Space Systems Command (SSC), the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring, developing, and delivering resilient capabilities to outpace emerging threats and protect the country’s strategic advantage in, from, and to space, announced a new program to accelerate security clearance.
It also awarded six purchase agreements through the ACCESS Contract, building on earlier CASR pilot efforts to establish a Space Domain Awareness (SDA) surge capability in support of the Joint Force.
COMSO’S ACES
The SSC’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO), the organization responsible for accelerating commercial space partnerships, will lead a new initiative that aims to aid innovative commercial partners in navigating the processes required to support classified national security space efforts.
The newly announced Access to the Classified Ecosystem for Space (ACES) was designed to accelerate security clearances and classified access for commercial aerospace firms and startups.
Colonel Tim Trimailo, COMSO director, announced the initiative at last week’s 2026 Los Angeles Space Week Space Industry Days.
“ACES addresses a significant barrier to acquisition reform and commercial integration,” explained Trimailo. “Without the appropriate security access, the government cannot fully engage industry partners on relevant threats, capability requirements, and mission needs. ACES is designed to identify those access requirements early and help companies navigate the process alongside their government sponsors.”
According to SSC, several pathways now exist to establish classified requirements and enable appropriate industry participation.
This follows the 2025 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) BRIDGES initiative, a pilot effort for small companies that traditionally do not work with the United States government to access the Pentagon’s research and development efforts. BRIDGES has already supported 19 companies as part of a classified industry cohort.
“ACES builds on lessons from that effort and applies the framework more broadly across the national security space enterprise,” the SSC explained, adding that it will support companies pursuing appropriate classified access through multiple contracting mechanisms, including other transaction authority agreements (OTAs) used during the BRIDGES initiative.
Coordinated Team Effort
COMSO will provide partners across the defense innovation ecosystem with the guidance, resources, and coordination to help companies and government sponsors navigate the process.
“Solving this challenge requires a coordinated team effort,” said U.S. Space Force Col. Aaron Stevenson, deputy director of COMSO. “ACES brings together the tools, resources, and expertise of our mission partners, including SpaceWERX, the Defense Innovation Unit, and DARPA, to help reduce barriers for companies that have a validated need to support classified space missions.”
However, ACES is not meant to be seen as an “open pathway” for companies to request or obtain security clearances independently.
“The first step is for a company to connect with a government sponsor that has an identified need for a classified engagement,” Trimailo said. “Not every company or effort requires this level of access. COMSO will work with the sponsor to identify the most effective contracting path and provide support throughout the process.”
ACCESS Contract
SSC’s Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) program also awarded six purchase agreements via the ACCESS Contract, part of the General Services Administration (GSA) contract framework that Joint Commercial Operations uses to procure commercial data and data-fusion services from multiple providers for Space Domain Awareness and other mission needs.
“Building on earlier CASR pilot efforts, these awards establish CASR’s initial Space Domain Awareness (SDA) surge capability in support of Joint Commercial Operations,” SSC emphasized.
The CASR enables participating commercial providers to furnish agreed-upon SDA capabilities that are available to support JCO requirements during periods of increased demand. According to SSC, these awards provided more resilient SDA architecture by incorporating commercial capabilities alongside government systems.
“CASR represents a first-of-its-kind effort for the Space Force to integrate mature commercial space capabilities into government architectures when mission needs require additional capacity,” said Trimailo. “Building on our pilot efforts, the CASR team completed significant work to understand available commercial capabilities, assess their readiness, and develop pathways for integration.”
The voluntary program framework’s initial focus on SDA further supports the Space Force’s broader effort to incorporate commercial capabilities where they can strengthen mission resilience and responsiveness, the SSC noted, and stressed that Space Domain Awareness remains one of several mission areas identified for increased commercial integration to meet “urgent warfighter needs.”
“Commercial providers bring diverse technical strengths and business models,” added Trimailo. “That diversity is an asset. CASR gives us the structured way to incorporate it into government architectures and deliver responsive capability when it is needed.”
Milestones for CASR
The SDA agreements serve as important milestones for CASR by demonstrating SSC’s continued focus on delivering resilient, responsive space capabilities through commercial partnerships. The command stated that it will apply lessons from the effort as it continues to evaluate commercial-integration opportunities in other mission areas. Both traditional and non-traditional companies that seek opportunities to enter the CASR vendor pool are encouraged to contact the USSF Front Door.
SSC manages a $15.6 billion annual space acquisition budget for the Pentagon. It works with joint forces, industry partners, government agencies, academia, and allied nations. It is headquartered at Los Angeles Space Force Base in El Segundo, California. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant has led the command since February 1, 2024, and directs a global personnel network of more than 15,000 military, civilian, and contractor members.
