HAWTHORNE, Calif. – On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, ThinKom Solutions, Inc. announced it has been awarded a contract by SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, to develop containerized and transportable ground stations.
The initiative focuses on the creation of highly adaptable satellite communication nodes designed to support the Resilient MILSATCOM Architecture. This project aims to enhance the deployment of mobile ground infrastructure that can rapidly integrate with varied orbital constellations while maintaining a low physical footprint for expeditionary forces.
Technical Specifications for Transportable Ground Nodes
The new ground stations will utilize ThinKom’s proprietary Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased-array antenna technology to provide high-throughput, low-latency connectivity. These containerized systems are engineered to operate in contested environments, featuring multi-beam and multi-orbit capabilities that allow for simultaneous communication with satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO). By housing the electronics and antenna hardware within a standardized, ruggedized container, the military can rapidly transport and activate the nodes without the extensive setup times typically required for traditional parabolic dishes.
Beyond standard data transport, the technology is specifically optimized to support mission-critical defense applications, including signals intelligence (SIGINT) and missile warning and defense capabilities. The architecture provides the spectral efficiency and directional accuracy needed to track and relay sensitive data in real-time, even when faced with significant electronic interference or physical movement of the platform.
Context within Space Force Modernization
The contract award is part of a broader effort by the U.S. Space Force and SpaceWERX to operationalize proliferated satellite architectures. As the Department of Defense continues to shift toward resilient, decentralized space systems, the demand for ground segments that match this orbital agility has become a high-priority technology shortfall.
Arthur Grijalva, the Director of SpaceWERX, has recently emphasized the agency’s commitment to using faster contracting methods to deliver paradigm-shifting technologies to the warfighter. This contract aligns with those goals, bridging the gap between innovative commercial antenna designs and the specific survivability requirements of military communication networks. Bill Milroy, Chairman and CTO of ThinKom, noted that delivering efficient connectivity to government users worldwide remains a paramount objective for the company as it scales its production of defense-grade hardware.
