BOSTON, MA, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Object Management Group® (OMG®) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Space Communication Asset Resource Schema (SCARS)—a new standard designed to modernize how satellite communications assets are described, shared, and integrated across scheduling systems. The proposed standard calls for a machine-readable data representation that enables satellite communications service providers to describe their assets in terms of capabilities, location, and operational readiness. The goal: faster, more accurate scheduling of satellite contacts across an increasingly dynamic space environment.
Today, most satellite contact scheduling software relies on manual entry of asset details such as location, operating windows, RF capabilities, and obscura—an error-prone, time-consuming process that slows integration and increases risk. SCARS would enable these characteristics to be imported electronically, dramatically improving speed and accuracy.
The need is growing as communication assets evolve. Characteristics can change due to equipment upgrades, aging, maintenance events, or environmental factors, and assets may be mobile, orbiting, intermittently available, or operating in tactical or contested environments. In these scenarios, manual updates are often impractical. A machine-readable SCARS format provides a faster, more reliable way to disseminate updates and ensure users are always working with the latest information.
Under the SCARS vision, communication service providers would make Space Communication Asset Resource (SCAR) descriptions available to authorized satellite operators—either by pushing updates or enabling users to pull them on demand. Once received, the data would be automatically ingested into contact scheduling systems, ensuring up-to-date visibility into asset capabilities, characteristics, and availability.
“This specification will address issues with the scheduling of resources for satellite up- and down-links,” said Donald Sather of Aerospace Corporation, a member of the Space Domain Task Force at OMG. “When you schedule a contact, you must know what assets are available. If an asset goes down due to weather or other events, the process for scheduling alternative ground assets relies on informal knowledge, which can be problematic. The proposed standard will enable the person who owns or controls a contact asset (such as an antenna) to produce a machine-readable file with all the necessary information, enabling a smoother transition between ground assets, both for civilian and military usage scenarios.”
The Letter of Intent deadline is June 1, 2026, and the initial submission deadline is August 17, 2026. Proposals should address the needs of communication service providers and authorized satellite operators. While the RFP includes requirements across a broad range of areas, organizations are encouraged to participate even if they cannot address every requirement initially. Companies must be Domain or Contributing members of OMG by the initial submission deadline to submit a proposal.
Download the RFP for the Space Communication Asset Resource Schema (SCARS) . Questions and responses may be directed to rfp@omg.org.
About OMG
The Object Management Group® (OMG®), part of the Enterprise Data Management Association, is an international, open membership, not-for-profit technology standards development organization with representation from government, industry, and academia. OMG Task Forces develop enterprise integration standards for a wide range of technologies and industries. OMG’s modeling standards enable robust visual design, execution, and maintenance of software, systems, and other processes. Visit www.omg.org for more information.
