The Space Development Agency has asked industry to submit executive summaries, proposal abstracts and full proposals for novel concepts, technologies, systems and capabilities in support of its planned National Defense Space Architecture.
A broad agency announcement published Tuesday says SDA is seeking concepts and technologies that will facilitate “leap-ahead improvements for future tranches of currently planned NDSA capability layers” and allow new capability layers to address other evolving warfighter requirements.
The NDSA is composed of seven space layers: transport; battle management; tracking; custody; navigation; deterrence; and support layers.
SDA said it plans to release separate solicitations for the seven capability layers and deliver such capabilities to joint warfighters in two-year tranches as soon as fiscal 2022.
The agency wants stakeholders to submit an executive summary first to allow its personnel to evaluate the concept and gauge interest. “SDA anticipates making multiple awards from this solicitation, leading to detailed technical studies, architecture or system-level technical designs, and/or proofs of concept or risk reduction demonstrations,” the agency added.
Proposals are due Jan. 20, 2021.
In October 2019, SDA issued a five-year budget plan that includes $10.6B in funds to support research and development work, prototyping, testing and launch of the seven space layers.
