The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is making significant investments in the arena of expeditionary energy and is looking to support the growth of expeditionary power innovations for a mobile space domain awareness platform.

Overview

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), in partnership with the 15th Space Surveillance Squadron (15 SPSS), will run a pitch event in June 2024 to identify expeditionary power innovation capabilities for a mobile space domain awareness platform.

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants and select up to 15 companies as finalists to participate in the virtual Pitch Event in June 2024. A total of $75,000 in awards will be awarded to the top performing company/companies.

Background

Acquiring power for a deployable ground electro-optical sensor is a difficult undertaking for which the ground EO telescopes require extensive consumable power generation, with the objective of operating throughout the night. There are known commercial off-the-shelf solutions such as photovoltaics; however, this challenge provides a chance to evaluate novel approaches to meeting the power needs and, in turn, influencing the evolving concept of operations and system-level specifications for the Expeditionary-SDA platform.

Problem Statement

15th SPSS seeks innovative solutions for highly conditioned, high density expeditionary power, for an expeditionary network of space domain awareness telescopes. Solutions must be capable of:

  • Delivering at least 25kW average power generation and peak power exceeding 200% of average power demands.
  • A primary voltage bus of +300V DC with a ripple requirement of less than 1%.
  • A minimum of 12 hours of operation before refueling or recharging.
  • Increased power density while materially reducing the size, weight, and cost of power delivery, with a weight less than 250 pounds.
  • Quiet running to minimize acoustic footprint.
  • Decreased logistical burden (maneuver, rapid setup and teardown), and reductions in maintenance are desired.
  • Tolerance of extreme environmental conditions and terrain within the Indo-Pacific region, meeting or exceeding MIL-STD-810H, tropical conditions.
  • ~ 10 panels in series, with ideal orientation & angle of inclination based on time of year and location = sufficient voltage & power
  • Blueetti power inverter (DC to AC) = necessary for many electrical components.

End-User: U.S. Space Force

Key Dates

  • April 18, 2024: Solicitation Release
  • May 17, 2024: “Ask Me Anything” Session (Register Here)
  • May 31, 2024: Solicitation Closes & Down-selection Begins
  • June 14, 2024: Down-selection Ends & Finalists Announced
  • June 25, 2024: Pitch Rehearsal & Pitch Recording
  • June 27, 2024: Pitch Event
  • Week of July 1, 2024: Winners Announced

Benefits of Participating

  • $75,000 in awards available to the top performing companies
  • Exposure to leaders across multiple branches of the DoD
  • Potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction (OT) agreements, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others
  • Potential for access to gain invaluable insights, foster global collaboration, and stay ahead in space situational awareness at the premier AMOS Conference

Eligibility

  • U.S.-owned and operated companies
  • CAGE code required for submission*
  • Early-Mid Stage Ventures (i.e., little to no DoD contracts, equal to or earlier than Series A); OR non-traditional defense contractors, as defined in the 2023 DoD Other Transactions Guide
  • Ability to showcase the solution’s capabilities by June 2024

*To register or renew your entity or check your entity status, navigate to https://sam.gov/content/home to get started.

Apply Now

Participants must apply for the Expeditionary Energy Challenge at the link below.

Apply Now

Judging Criteria

Applications and Pitches will be judged on five major criteria:

  • Technical Soundness & Innovation: Soundness, technical merit, innovation of proposed approach, and feasibility of the proposed solution.
  • Team Qualifications: Qualifications of proposed principals, support staff, and consultants.
  • Commercial Viability: Company has a technology solution that is viable in non-defense markets.
  • Quality of Pitch: Company presents a clear and concise overview of its company and technology, demonstrates how its technology solves one or more of the defined problem areas, and effectively answers questions from strategic advisors.
  • Operational Alignment: Proposed solution aligns with listed features and capabilities.

Pitch Deck Submission Requirements

Teams will submit a pitch deck outlining their technology capabilities that addresses the listed capabilities features above. Pitch decks should meet the following format requirements:

  • Sized 16:9 (1920x1080 pixels)
  • Horizontal presentation
  • PDF file
  • Maximum 10 slides

About National Security Innovation Network

NSIN is a program office in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), nested within the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

For more information or interview requests with Team NSIN, please contact us at [email protected].

About 15 SPSS

15 SPSS operates the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, a strategically located national asset at the 10,023 foot-summit of Haleakala on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The MSSC is host to small, medium, and large-aperture tracking optics, including the DoD’s largest optical telescope designed for tracking and imaging satellites, with visible and infrared sensors to collect data on near-Earth and deep-space objects. The Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance Systems, located at Maui, Socorro, and Diego Garcia, are also under the 15 SPSS. The GEODSS Systems play a vital role in tracking deep space objects.

About AMOS

The AMOS Conference is the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to space situational awareness/space domain awareness. The cross section of private sector, government, and academic participation helps foster important dialogue and international collaboration. The continued growth in attendance and participating countries at AMOS reflects a growing interest in space sustainability and space commerce initiatives as new actors—national governments, private sector companies, non-governmental entities, and universities—become involved in these activities.