Article

Stottler Henke's MARS (MIDAS Automated Resource Scheduler) system has replaced the legacy ESD 2.7 system for U.S. Space Force operations as of September 12, 2025. This transition enhances mission readiness and operational effectiveness for the Satellite Control Network (SCN).

The MARS system, built on the Aurora scheduling engine, automates the scheduling process, reducing operator cognitive load by over 90% and providing robust fault-tolerance features. MARS enables the ingestion of orbital information and user requests, optimizing schedules and improving responsiveness to changing demands. The upgrade marks a significant modernization effort, enhancing the SCN's capabilities to meet evolving telemetry, tracking, and commanding needs for over 165,000 annual satellite contacts.