Forward Edge-AI Awarded Phase II SBIR Contract with the Space Development Agency

New SBIR technology will secure global strategic and tactical communication in contested space environments.

SAN ANTONIO, TX, UNITED STATES, November 20, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Space Development Agency (SDA) is focused on developing the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a comprehensive initiative aimed at enhancing military sensing and data transport capabilities in LEO (pLEO). The overarching goal of PWSA is to establish a robust framework that supports national defense by enabling efficient data transfer and processing in space. Today Forward Edge-AI announced award of a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by SDA to develop a quantum-resistant, high-throughput space encryptor for pLEOs. The new space encryptor will work alongside Forward Edge-AI's High-throughput Space Router which is currently under development under a separate Phase II SBIR with SDA.

This SBIR Direct to Phase II Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) project aims to produce a Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL-8), low Size, Weight, and Power-Cost (SWaP-C) quantum-resistant encryption device and achieve National Security Agency (NSA) Type 1 certification. The new encryption device is based on Isidore Quantum^® and will enable point-to-multipoint encryption and facilitate cross-domain operations, ensuring that classified military networks can operate securely alongside unclassified commercial networks.

Advantages include significantly enhanced security for space-based communication and data processing. The quantum-resistant nature of the encryption ensures that communications remain secure against future quantum computing threats, which traditional IPSec methods cannot withstand as implemented. This future-proofing is vital for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality, protecting sensitive information from sophisticated cyberattacks. Proposed modifications to Isidore Quantum^® will ensure that classified and unclassified data streams can coexist without risking unauthorized access or data breaches, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of space communication networks.

About Forward Edge-AI

Forward Edge AI, Inc. founded in 2019, is becoming a dominant player in AI and is leading the revolution in augmenting edge technology with human intelligence. Forward Edge-AI’s mission is to solve complex problems in the public safety, national security, and defense sectors.

Forward Edge-AI is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Eric Adolphe
Forward Edge-AI, Inc.
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