Kristen Smith 
Parsons has secured a $30 million contract modification to expand its support for the Blackjack space mission, strengthening the company’s role in delivering mission operations and ground system services as program responsibility transitions from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to the Space Development Agency.
The award includes a novation to SDA and builds on an $11 million Phase III Small Business Innovation Research contract DARPA originally issued to Parsons in 2021 for developing a prototype ground operations center for Blackjack flight demonstrations, Parsons said Monday.
What Work Will Parsons Perform Under the Modified Blackjack Contract?
Under the latest award, the company will provide comprehensive Blackjack mission operations through its common ground element at the Parsons Space Operations Center. The work includes consolidating original equipment manufacturer spacecraft support and providing centralized mission planning and execution services.
Parsons will use its OrbitXChange platform and ground-operations-center-as-a-service framework to enable satellite command and control, mission services and operational planning. The approach is designed to ensure reliable connectivity between the ground operations center and commercial ground station providers, providing global coverage for Blackjack mission activities.
How Does OrbitXChange Support the Blackjack Mission?
OrbitXChange is designed to support government and commercial space missions without requiring dedicated ground infrastructure. The platform provides cloud-based satellite operations, cybersecure connectivity and optimized scheduling across multiple commercial antennas worldwide, with support for multiple link types.
