On Thursday, October 22, 2026, Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO) announced an initiative to accelerate security clearances for commercial space firms.
Unveiled by COMSO Director U.S. Space Force Col. Tim Trimailo during the 2026 LA Space Week Space Industry Days in El Segundo, California, the Access to the Classified Ecosystem for Space (ACES) program establishes a framework to integrate private-sector technologies into classified national security space missions.
Acquisition Barriers and Threat Collaboration
The initiative targets a persistent bottleneck in defense space acquisition, where commercial vendors with mature spaceflight solutions face barriers entering classified programs due to clearance delays. Without appropriate clearances, the military cannot brief commercial developers on emerging orbital threats or classified capability requirements. The framework identifies security access mandates early, expanding upon industry outreach priorities outlined in the Space Force Commercial Space Strategy.
DARPA BRIDGES Lineage and Interagency Coordination
ACES expands upon lessons from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which completed its BRIDGES initiative connecting commercial firms to classified work in 2025 after supporting 19 space companies. To scale this model enterprise-wide, COMSO is partnering with SpaceWERX and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), utilizing Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements to guide companies through security vetting.
Executive Perspectives on Commercial Integration
Space Force leadership highlighted that bridging commercial innovation with classified programs is essential for fielding space combat capabilities.
“ACES addresses a significant barrier to acquisition reform and commercial integration,” stated Col. Tim Trimailo, Director of COMSO. “Without the appropriate security access, the government cannot fully engage industry partners on relevant threats, capability requirements, and mission needs. ACES is designed to identify those access requirements early and help companies navigate the process alongside their government sponsors.”
“Solving this challenge requires a coordinated team effort,” added U.S. Space Force Col. Aaron Stevenson, Deputy Director of COMSO, noting that cross-agency alignment reduces administrative barriers for vendors with validated mission requirements.
Sponsor Requirements and Warfighter Delivery Horizon
Defense officials emphasized that ACES does not operate as an open pathway for independent clearance requests, requiring vendors to first secure an active government sponsor with an identified operational need. By coordinating with sponsors to identify tailored contracting vehicles, COMSO aims to expand the commercial technology base supporting Space Systems Command’s $15.6 billion annual acquisition budget and accelerate delivery of capabilities to the warfighter.
