SpiderOak sent and received secure ops traffic using Axiom Space-provided AWS Snowcone aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

SpiderOak has completed a demonstration of its OrbitSecure technology onboard the International Space Station, successfully demonstrating sending and receiving secure ops traffic between ground and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). 

SpiderOak announced the successful demo on Wednesday, which was done with Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) Snowcone edge computing device provided by Axiom Space. Communication to the space station was handled via NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay System (TDRS).

SpiderOak said this demonstration validates “the potential of containerized workloads in a space environment, demonstrating a secure, software-defined model applicable to the unique challenges of space operations.” The company also said it lays the groundwork for orbital data centers.

“The future of space is undeniably software-defined,” said John Moberly, SpiderOak’s senior vice president for Space. “Our successful demonstration shows that it’s not just possible, but effective and secure, to run containerized workloads in modern orchestrated environments with secure data channels from orbit to ground and vice versa.”

This follows after SpiderOak demonstrated OrbitSecure cybersecurity software in space for the first time on a Ball Aerospace prototype payload in June. OrbitSecure uses encryption and distributed-ledger software to operate a decentralized key management system.