NASHUA, N.H. — The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems’ FAST Labs organization a $16 million Phase 2 contract for the Oversight program, a strategic initiative designed to maintain constant tracking “custody” of terrestrial targets using autonomous satellite networks.
Announced on Wednesday, December 10, the award tasks BAE Systems with maturing the software architecture developed during the program’s initial phase. The company will transition its algorithms from modeling environments to operational hardware, deploying the technology to both tactical-edge satellites and ground stations to support real-time decision-making for military users.
The Oversight program addresses a critical bottleneck in modern surveillance: tracking highly dynamic targets across large areas using proliferated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. By processing data directly on board spacecraft rather than relaying it to ground stations, the system aims to reduce latency and ensure continuous monitoring even in contested environments.
From Simulation to Tactical Edge
This Phase 2 award builds on the successful completion of Phase 1, which BAE Systems secured in May 2023. During that initial $7 million effort, the company integrated its software into simulation environments to demonstrate tracking capabilities against representative satellite and sensor models. SatNews previously reported on the program’s launch, noting its goal to simultaneously monitor up to 1,000 targets of interest.
Under the new contract, BAE Systems will scale its solution to handle larger constellations and more complex operational scenarios. The focus shifts from proof-of-concept to high-fidelity validation, ensuring the autonomous logic can manage resource allocation and sensor tasking without human intervention.
Work will be performed at the company’s facilities in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Merrimack, New Hampshire. BAE Systems will continue its collaboration with subcontractor AIMdyn, Inc., a Santa Barbara-based firm specializing in operator-theoretic algorithms for dynamic systems.
Autonomous Custody Architecture
The core of the Oversight program is the ability to maintain “custody”—unbroken tracking—of assets as they move across different sensor fields of view. Traditional tracking methods often rely on siloed systems and manual coordination, which can introduce delays that render data obsolete in rapidly evolving tactical situations.
BAE Systems’ approach utilizes cognitive processing and machine learning to enable satellites to “collaborate” autonomously. If one satellite tracks a target that is about to leave its range, the system automatically tasks a neighboring satellite to pick up the track, creating a seamless chain of custody.
Dr. Ben Cooper, senior principal scientist at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, emphasized the shift toward edge computing in orbit.
“Future mission requirements are pushing capabilities to the tactical edge,” Cooper said. “In space, this means operating primarily on-board satellites. Through this program, we will help make the space domain more tactically relevant for warfighters.”
Next Milestones
The technology developed under Oversight is intended to support the U.S. Space Force’s shift toward proliferated architectures, such as the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). By embedding autonomy into these networks, the Department of Defense aims to overcome the limitations of ground-based command and control for large-scale constellations.
BAE Systems expects to demonstrate the software in increasingly rigorous simulations before physical deployment to orbital testbeds. The program’s ultimate objective is to deliver a software-defined tracking layer capable of integration into future military satellite procurement cycles.
