What is Spoon Bender?

Spoon Bender is a multi-player, real-time strategy simulation that challenges players to command and defend orbital assets amid contested space and electronic warfare. Two teams of seven compete to maintain mission-critical capabilities like communications, threat warning, and intelligence while responding to attacks, jamming, and kinetic threats in near real-time. The result: a fast-paced, decision-rich environment that mirrors the uncertainty and high stakes of real-world space operations during conflict.

Aerospace is adapting Spoon Bender for AI agent play, transforming it into a powerful digital testbed for autonomous decision-making in space operations. Participating companies and researchers will gain early access to the evolving API/SDK – allowing their agents to:

• Ingest live, multi-domain game data streams
• Autonomously execute orbital and electronic warfare tactics
• Be tested on reasoning, adaptability, and coordination under time constraints

This effort is part of Aerospace’s AI Proving Grounds, an initiative supporting the U.S. government’s push to apply AI to the hardest problems in space.

Why It Matters

Space systems underpin everything from communications to national defense. As the orbital domain grows more contested, AI will play a central role in decision-making and resilience. For AI startups, Spoon Bender offers a rare opportunity to:

• Test and showcase technologies in a defense-relevant simulation
• Collaborate with Aerospace – trusted advisor to DoD, NASA, and Intelligence Community
• Position your solutions for future government funding and acquisition pathways

Whether your expertise lies in reinforcement learning, agent-based modeling, or multi-sensor data fusion, Spoon Bender provides the proving ground to demonstrate real impact.

Want to learn more or receive the latest updates? Send us an email at spoonbender@aero.org.