Space Force Lands $27M AI Training System for Satellite Ops

Space defense just got smarter, and that could make all the difference in protecting the satellites we rely on every day for GPS, communications, and emergency services.

Slingshot Aerospace, a Colorado company, won a $27 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to develop TALOS, an AI training system that acts like a virtual opponent in space. Instead of running operators through predictable drills, TALOS simulates how enemy spacecraft might actually maneuver, react, or interfere with U.S. satellites in orbit.

The 18-month project supports the Space Force's Operational Test and Training Infrastructure, a program created to prepare military personnel for fast-moving conflicts in space. Earth's orbit has become increasingly crowded, and rival nations are investing heavily in technologies that could target satellites during conflicts.

Traditional training systems can't keep up. They're often expensive, slow to update, and locked into rigid scenarios that don't reflect how real adversaries adapt. TALOS changes that by using artificial intelligence to create dynamic, unpredictable challenges that mirror actual threats.

The system has already been tested by the 57th Space Aggressors Squadron, the unit responsible for playing the bad guys during Space Force training exercises. Early results show operators get experience that feels closer to the real thing.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about military readiness. The satellites TALOS helps protect enable everyday technologies millions of people depend on, from turn-by-turn directions to weather forecasts to credit card transactions.

When operators train against smarter, more realistic threats, they're better prepared to keep those systems running during a crisis. That protection extends to civilians who never think twice about the infrastructure humming away in orbit above their heads.

Slingshot designed TALOS with flexibility in mind. The company built it to integrate with other technologies and systems, not just its own. Open APIs mean the Space Force can plug in new sensors, data feeds, and AI capabilities as they become available.

CEO Tim Solms calls it "AI-native space training," where human judgment and machine intelligence work together. That partnership could give operators the edge they need when seconds count and adversaries aren't following a script.

The contract came through a Commercial Solutions Opening, a faster contracting process that helps the government tap into commercial innovation without years of bureaucratic delays. Slingshot initially developed TALOS with funding from SpaceWERX in 2022 before unveiling the full system last July.

As space becomes more contested, training systems that can evolve as quickly as the threats they simulate aren't just nice to have—they're becoming essential for keeping critical infrastructure safe.