U.S. Space Systems Command (SSC) this week release a Request for Information to industry seeking feedback on their capabilities in space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM) as it pursues two separate efforts to meet Defense Department needs in this area.
The government will host two sets of virtual industry days focused on SBEM, one on May 7 that will be managed by SSC and its SpaceWERX innovation arm, and the other June 18-20, which would be for one-on-one meetings at the invitation of SSC.
“The end state is to create an integrated network of satellites from DoD, civil, international, and commercial partners capable of delivering accurate and actionable environmental data for enhanced situational awareness, resources management, and informed decision-making in both military and civilian sectors,” SSC says in an April 24 announcement on the federal business opportunities site Sam.gov.
The two efforts underway at SSC include a partnership leveraging SpaceWERX small business funding for companies that may have “innovative technologies that can be matured to address some of SBEM gap requirements,” the notice says. For the small business effort, SpaceWERX will open a solicitation for a Direct to Phase 2 effort for small business innovation research and small business technology transfer contracts, which typically are for up to two years.
The second thrust, which is a key reason for the RFI, is seeking industry feedback on “architectural designs of next generations of SBEM capabilities,” SSC says.
DoD currently relies on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which will reach end of life in 2026, for its space-based environmental sensing needs. The U.S. Space Force also operates an Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather System satellite and the Weather System Follow-on Microwave, which was launched into orbit this month, and partners with other organizations and agencies to meet its SBEM data needs.
SSC wants industry responses by May 29.