Kubos Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: J201-CSO1

Description

Kubos is evolving its commercially available command and control (C2) tool suite—Major Tom—to enable Air Force (AF) end users to simultaneously operate diverse networks in multiple orbits in order to autonomously change the configuration of those networks based on evolving circumstances in a highly complex environment. The Kubos solution enables data from the controlled networks to be integrated with data from ground sensors, and commercial sensor data and exploit their collective capabilities to rapidly inform decision makers of evolving threats in a highly dynamic environment. The well-established commercial product this solution is built around is currently being used by 10 customers and is scheduled for use on multiple missions in 2020. This robust and highly scalable commercial product, which provides the foundation for the proposed solution, gives mission managers ubiquitous C2 of multiple diverse satellite networks. As a result, satellite operators now have the capability to autonomously make changes to their network configuration based on changing circumstances. With the simple addition of Kubernetes-based micro-services and network-level Application Programming Interfaces (API), the Kubos solution facilitates rapid integration and updates to technologies within the architecture, including Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and cybersecurity algorithms, which are used to detect, identify, and mitigate risks in a threat-rich environment. Features of the proposed solution include a decision engine to detect, characterize, assess, and respond to threats; generation of Course-Of-Action (COA) responses for multi-domain command and control; rapid integration of large number of data sources for methodical storage in a classified cloud environment; case-based logic for multiple real-time alerts; a framework that facilitates constructive simulation overlaid on live data and providing this data to human-on-the-loop operators using real systems; support for training applications that require flexible User Interfaces and intuitive User Experience (UI/UX) for white cell control; and a Kubernetes-based deployment of micro-services architecture to manage all of these features. The Kubos solution combines safe, autonomous, human-on-the-loop satellite operations with trusted user-visualization tools to enable relevant, real-time responses and rapid decision making based on reliable and up-to-date mission intelligence.  The Kubos team will use Phase I of this SBIR to interview candidate end users and transition partners.  From those interviews Kubos will collect feedback and evolve the proposed concepts to roll newly identified requirements in the development plan for the commercialized product. Kubos will also use the information collected in Phase I to define a meaningful and actionable trial in Phase II to demonstrate technical feasibility of the Kubos solution to potential end users.