STAR-FISH Effort Seeks ‘Secure By Design’ Satellite

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory issued a solicitation under the STAR-FISH program for a “Secure by Design” spacecraft intended to demonstrate cyber-resilient satellite technologies. The effort covers design, development, testing and demonstration of protections for missions such as positioning and navigation, missile warning and tracking, intelligence collection and communications, including reduced attack surfaces, self-protection and recovery functions. The government anticipates multiple cost-plus-fixed-fee research awards across a program lasting roughly four years, with funding spread through fiscal 2030. The solicitation remains a competitive research opportunity rather than an awarded satellite program, with an on-orbit demonstration planned only after earlier flat-sat, integration and ground-test phases.