SDA Seeks Input on Tranche 1 Acquisition Approach (Draft)
Original Response Date: May 07, 2021
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is seeking industry feedback on its draft approach for acquiring the National Defense Space Architecture’s (NDSA) Tranche 1. Through this RFI, SDA is specifically seeking feedback on its approach to acquire T1 Transport space vehicles (SV) and support systems. All responses received to this Request for Information (RFI) are solely for information and planning purposes. Responses to this RFI may be used to support future solicitations.
SDA Seeks Input on Tranche 1 Optical Communication Terminals
Original Response Date: April 30, 2021
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is seeking industry feedback on the design and development of optical communications terminals (OCTs) for the National Defense Space Architecture’s (NDSA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL). We are looking for information on existing products, current development efforts and/or ongoing programs that address the Optical Intersatellite Link (OISL) Payload planned for T1TL.
All responses received to this Request for Information (RFI) are solely for information and planning purposes. Responses to this RFI may be used to support future solicitations.
SDA Seeks Input on Tranche 1 Transport Space Layer Space Vehicles
Original Response Date: April 23, 2021
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is seeking industry feedback on thedesign and development of mission-capable space vehicles for the National Defense Space Architecture's (NDSA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL), including feedback on industry's ability to support a homogeneous constellation design to provide the full suite of Transport T1 capabilities. T1TL will provide an initial warfighting capability through persistent regional access to low-latency data transport services.
SDA expects the T1TL constellation to feature 6 near-polar circular planes with tens of satellites at 1000 km altitude in each plane.
All responses received to this Request for Information (RFI) are solely for information and planning purposes. Responses to this RFI may be used to support future solicitations.
SDA released a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to launch its participation in DoD’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. These programs are competitive opportunities to encourage domestic small businesses to engage in research and development with the DoD. SDA will utilize the SBIR/STTR program to enhance future tranches and to inform the overall architecture of spiral development projects to demonstrate warfighter capability via proliferated LEO. Through a competitive awards-based program, SDA’s SBIR/STTR efforts will enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. SDA will post updated Small Business Opportunities under this BAA throughout the year as we identify specific technical topics for industry consideration and will consider partnering with other organizations such as DARPA or AFRL based on their research interests and the quality of small business proposals. This overall BAA closes Sept. 30, 2021.
SDA Releases New Small Business Opportunities for Space-Based Environmental Monitoring
Original Response Date: June 15, 2021
SDA is issuing new Small Business Opportunities (SBO) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, inviting submissions of innovative research proposals supporting the advancement of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA). Weather conditions critically impact the effectiveness of Department of Defense missions. The Space Development Agency (SDA) is issuing an SBIR/STTR Opportunity (SBO) inviting submissions of innovative research concepts for space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM). To deliver SBEM products from the NDSA, SDA seeks a preliminary system design for a next-generation compact passive polarimetric microwave radiometer and sounder (CP2MRS) with modular imaging and sounding capability to measure ocean surface vector wind, tropical cyclone intensity, and vertical temperature and atmospheric moisture profiles from low Earth orbit. The SBO is issued under the SDA Broad Agency Announcement for SBIR/STTR, HQ085021S0001. The opportunity opened under pre-release rules on April 27, with proposal submissions accepted from May 12, 2021 through June 15, 2021. All proposals in response to these technical areas must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided under HQ085021S0001
SDA Releases New Small Business Opportunities for Target Recognition Algorithms for OPIR Sensors
Original Response Date: April 27, 2021
SDA is issuing new Small Business Opportunities (SBO) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, inviting submissions of innovative research proposals supporting the advancement of the National Defense Space Architecture. The SBO is issued under the SDA Broad Agency Announcement for SBIR/STTR, HQ085021S0001. This opportunity looks to advance the capability and utility of algorithms for low-latency recognition and acquisition of targets in complex environments by overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) sensors in low Earth orbit (LEO). Recognition - or the more common term automatic target recognition (ATR) – is defined as an OPIR system’s ability to identify or classify a target based on sensor measurements of its physical characteristics, motion, and effects.
The opportunity opened under pre-release rules on March 10, with proposal submissions accepted from March 25, 2021 through April 27, 2021. All proposals in response to these technical areas must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided under HQ085021S0001.
SDA Releases First Six Small Business Opportunities
Response Date: March 31, 2021
SDA issued six Small Business Opportunities (SBO) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, inviting submissions of innovative research proposals supporting the advancement of the National Defense Space Architecture. These six SBOs are issued under the SDA Broad Agency Announcement for SBIR/STTR, HQ085021S0001. The opportunities open under pre-release rules on February 12, with proposal submissions accepted from March 9, 2021 through March 31, 2021.
Technical focus areas include:
- Free-Space Optical Communication (FSOC) Technology for Optical Intersatellite Links (OISLs) (SBIR)
- L-Band Multiband/Interleaved Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) Antenna (SBIR)
- Mesh Network NSA Certifiable Cryptographic Solution (SBIR/STTR)
- Advanced Space Mesh Networking (SBIR/STTR)
All proposals in response to these technical areas must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided under HQ085021S0001, found here.
SDA Releases Updated Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC) Broad Agency Announcement
Response Date: January 24, 2022
Through this updated STEC Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), SDA is soliciting executive summaries, white papers/abstracts, and full proposals for novel architecture concepts, systems, technologies, and capabilities that enable leap-ahead improvements for future tranches of currently planned National Defense Space Architecture capability layers. SDA is also interested in ideas to enable new capability layers that address other emerging or evolving warfighter needs in the future.
SDA is seeking architecture studies, concepts of operations (CONOPS), modeling and simulation, system designs, key technologies, and/or risk reduction prototypes that are responsive to the following topic areas:
- Real-Time Global Awareness and Connectivity
- Comprehensive Space-Based Sensing
- Omniscient Command, Control, and Execution
Please see the BAA for details and submission instructions.
SDA Resources
SDA has published an Optical Intersatellite Link Standard. This document provides interface specifications that enable space vehicles and payloads developed and operated by multiple organizations to readily exchange data via optical intersatelite links and to integrate with the National Defense Space Architecture.