Stell Engineering Secures $5.8M Space RCO Contract for Advanced Systems Integration Software

Stell Engineering, Inc. has been awarded a $5.8 million SBIR Phase III contract with the Space Rapid Capabilities Office to enhance and deploy the company's advanced systems integration software. The 24-month contract will fund Space RCO-tailored enhancements to Stell's core software platform and establish a multi-layered secure deployment infrastructure specifically designed for the organization's mission requirements.

The contract represents a significant advancement in systems engineering capabilities for space defense applications. It will accelerate Stell's software feature development while improving Space RCO's system requirements management processes. The software will be specifically tailored to support Space RCO's rapid delivery timelines and help integrate complex system-of-systems comprising hardware, software, and firmware interfaces for evolving space missions.

A critical component of this contract involves building upon Stell's existing cybersecurity and infrastructure work at the Controlled Unclassified Information level. The enhanced system will include one-way connections into high-side environments, providing secure data transfer capabilities while maintaining strict security protocols. This cybersecurity framework ensures that sensitive mission data remains protected while enabling efficient collaboration across defense organizations.

The Phase III award follows Stell's successful AFWERX Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract awarded in February 2024, which served Space Systems Command's Assured Access to Space and Space Systems Integration Office programs. Stell has collaborated with multiple defense organizations including Space Systems Command, AFWERX, SpaceWERX, COMSO, and supporting SSC Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance contractors at ManTech and Alpha Omega Group, LLC to achieve the Phase II innovation objectives.

This contract has significant implications for national security and space dominance. By providing Department of Defense engineers and supporting contractors with advanced software for managing mission requirements, interfaces, testing, and compliance workflows, the technology enables US teams to develop, test, and field advanced hardware and systems more rapidly than potential adversaries. The partnership with Space RCO positions Stell's engineering team directly alongside a DOD organization that is fielding novel hardware technologies in the increasingly contested space domain.

The enhanced software platform will support various defense applications including satellite systems, launch vehicles, and payload integration. Current Stell customers include satellite companies, ship builders, and battery manufacturers who use the platform to ensure their products meet all customer, interface, regulatory, and functional requirements. The Space RCO deployment represents the latest in a series of defense applications for Stell's technology, building on existing work with organizations such as Space Systems Command that use the software to develop and maintain interface specifications for faster procurement and integration of new space systems.