The software behind Artemis, Gateway and Americas defense in space deserves its own strategy
Summary
NASA's Core Flight System (cFS) is an open-source flight software framework that now underpins a wide range of civil, commercial and defense space missions. The article announces the release of cFS Draco v7.0.0 and the introduction of AerLock, NASA's first native spacecraft cybersecurity capability, and frames these as platform-level advances rather than single-mission add-ons. The author calls for formal stewardship, cross-sector governance, and broader adoption and contribution from industry, DoD, and international partners to sustain and secure the platform. The piece urges policymakers to treat software as national infrastructure and to build joint governance, security requirements, and consortium models to preserve U.S. leadership in spacecraft software.