Kratos has passed a major technical milestone with Airbus, completing factory acceptance testing of its EPOCH command-and-control software for the European firm’s next-generation, software-defined OneSat satellites.
The test confirmed that Kratos’ EPOCH system can manage the dynamic, in-orbit reconfiguration capabilities that set OneSat apart from traditional fixed satellites.
Unlike legacy platforms, OneSat can be reprogrammed in space, a shift that places heavier demands on ground control software.
To meet that challenge, Kratos added new features to EPOCH that allow it to handle frequent configuration changes, onboard autonomy, and continuous updates.
During the factory acceptance test, engineers from both companies verified that EPOCH’s hardware and software could safely communicate with a simulated OneSat spacecraft and meet redundancy and safety requirements.
Airbus formally accepted the system after all mission scenarios were successfully validated, clearing the software for operational use ahead of upcoming satellite launches.
Kratos said the milestone reflects years of work adapting ground systems to software-defined satellites.
Elodie Viau, Senior Vice President of Telecommunication and Navigation for Airbus Defence and Space, described it as “an important step forward as we prepare for launch and continue delivering innovative software-defined satellites to our customers.”
Beyond Satellites
Over the past year, Kratos and Airbus have deepened their collaboration beyond satellite C2, particularly in uncrewed aircraft and combat systems.
In July 2025, Airbus and Kratos announced a partnership to develop a European variant of the XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft equipped with an Airbus mission system for the German Air Force, targeting combat readiness by 2029.
This effort pairs Kratos’ flight-proven Valkyrie platform with Airbus’ platform-agnostic mission architecture to provide autonomous or semi-autonomous operations alongside crewed aircraft.
