Slingshot Aerospace snags Space Force GPS-jamming detection contract

The U.S. Space Force is looking to Slingshot Aerospace to further develop its GPS jamming and spoofing detection technology.

The El Segundo, Cal.-based company was awarded a $1.9 million contract through Space Force’s Space Systems Command through a program called “PNT-SENTINEL,” or Positioning, Navigation, and Timing—Secure Electronic Navigation Threat Intelligence and Location.  The contract was awarded as a Small Business Innovation Research phase 2 contract by the Space Force’s innovation arm, SpaceWERX, and builds off a phase 1 contract – also awarded for $1.9 million – back in 2021.  

“Modern military operations rely on space systems like GPS, so it’s no surprise that GPS jamming is already a pervasive threat,” Tim Solms, Slingshot Aerospace’s chief executive officer said in a statement. “In addition to military operations, the larger global community is also highly reliant on GPS, but jamming and spoofing may not discriminate between military and civilian users — meaning that functions of daily life like financial transactions and commercial air traffic control could also be affected.”

According to Slingshot Aerospace, the funding will allow it to “enhance its already operational technology by incorporating AI and predictive analytics to more rapidly disseminates insights to warfighters and support faster, more-informed decision making.”

The contract will leverage Slingshot Aerospace’s “Agatha,” an AI model that helps identify anomalous movement within satellite constellations.