A method for a virtual transponder which is a transponder partitioned into multiple transponders, said virtual transponder utilizing inband commanding, inband being frequency utilized to transmit payload data, the method comprising: transmitting to a payload antenna (880, 8080, 1280, 12080) on a vehicle (810, 8010, 1210, 12010) at least one encrypted hosted commands, by a hosted payload HoP, operation center, HOC, (860, 8060, 1260, 12060), and at least one encrypted host commands, by a host spacecraft operations center, SOC, (850, 8050, 1250, 12050); wherein the encrypted hosted commands are encrypted utilizing a second communication security, COMSEC, variety; wherein the encrypted host commands are encrypted utilizing a first COMSEC variety; decrypting, by a first communication security module (862, 8062, 1262, 12062), the encrypted host commands utilizing the first COMSEC variety to generate unencrypted host commands; decrypting, by a second communication security module (865, 8065, 1265, 12065), the encrypted hosted commands utilizing the second COMSEC variety to generate unencrypted hosted commands; reconfiguring a payload (805, 8005, 1205, 12005) on the vehicle according to at least one of the unencrypted host commands or the unencrypted hosted commands; transmitting, by the payload antenna, payload data to at least one of a host receiving antenna (885, 8085, 1285, 12085) or the hosted receiving antenna (890, 8090, 1290, 12090); encrypting, by the first communication security module, unencrypted telemetry utilizing the first COMSEC variety to generate encrypted telemetry, said unencrypted telemetry comprising the unencrypted host telemetry and the unencrypted hosted telemetry; transmitting the encrypted telemetry to the host SOC; transmitting the encrypted telemetry to the HOC. transmitting to a payload antenna (880, 8080, 1280, 12080) on a vehicle (810, 8010, 1210, 12010) at least one encrypted hosted commands, by a hosted payload HoP, operation center, HOC, (860, 8060, 1260, 12060), and at least one encrypted host commands, by a host spacecraft operations center, SOC, (850, 8050, 1250, 12050); wherein the encrypted hosted commands are encrypted utilizing a second communication security, COMSEC, variety; wherein the encrypted host commands are encrypted utilizing a first COMSEC variety; decrypting, by a first communication security module (862, 8062, 1262, 12062), the encrypted host commands utilizing the first COMSEC variety to generate unencrypted host commands; decrypting, by a second communication security module (865, 8065, 1265, 12065), the encrypted hosted commands utilizing the second COMSEC variety to generate unencrypted hosted commands; reconfiguring a payload (805, 8005, 1205, 12005) on the vehicle according to at least one of the unencrypted host commands or the unencrypted hosted commands; transmitting, by the payload antenna, payload data to at least one of a host receiving antenna (885, 8085, 1285, 12085) or the hosted receiving antenna (890, 8090, 1290, 12090); encrypting, by the first communication security module, unencrypted telemetry utilizing the first COMSEC variety to generate encrypted telemetry, said unencrypted telemetry comprising the unencrypted host telemetry and the unencrypted hosted telemetry; transmitting the encrypted telemetry to the host SOC; transmitting the encrypted telemetry to the HOC.