Space Domain AWARENESS
Tools, Applications, & Processing Lab
Space Domain AWARENESS
Tools, Applications, & Processing Lab
Tools, Applications, & Processing Lab
Tools, Applications, & Processing Lab
Space Domain Awareness (SDA) - To rapidly predict, detect, track, identify, warn, characterize, and attribute, threats to U.S., commercial, allied, and partner space systems.
The Space Domain Awareness TAP Lab ensures space superiority missions succeed by rapidly onboarding apps to close gaps. We decompose kill chains, prioritize needs with operators, map needs to technologies, and onboard technology to existing platforms -- getting solutions into operations quickly. We need to partner with industry, academia, and across the government to succeed.
A voluntary, collaborative, 3-month tech accelerator for industry, academia, and government to solve critical SDA challenges. Problem statements are coordinated with SDA operating community and listed below. Watch for announcements and updates.
The SDA TAP Lab leads periodic Ops Engagement Forums where we review and prioritize software related needs to ensure kill chains close. These critical engagements align the Lab to what the space defense community needs to "fight tonight". If you are part of the Ops community, please reach out!
The SDA TAP Lab prioritizes technology to aid in protection and defense from the following:
The Apollo Accelerator, an initiative of the SDA TAP Lab, is a collaborative tech accelerator for industry, academia, and government to solve critical SDA challenges. Participants are given access to a sandbox with data, services, a software dev environment, and the ability to host apps. The accelerator will run in 3-month cycles, up to 4 times a year, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The spirit of the Apollo Accelerator is to stimulate innovation and collaboration. Preference is given to applicants who can participate in person. However, remote participation is welcome. Participation is fully voluntary.
Through the Apollo Accelerator, we attempt to create an environment where investments can align to serve both business needs and deliver solutions for national defense. Funding is never guaranteed. We take your intellectual property seriously. You retain IP. The SDA TAP Lab is not a party to ownership rights and intellectual property issues regarding software developed during the Apollo Accelerator unless governed by a separate contractual agreement stating otherwise. You keep your IP. We help you maximize the utility of your solution.
APOLLO ACCELERATOR DATES
Cohort 3 is underway now
Applications for Cohort #4 are open now. Apply below!
Cohort 1: 26 October 2024 through 16 January 2024
Cohort 2: 1 February 2024 through 23 April 2024
Cohort 3: 1 May 2024 through 31 July 2024
Cohort 4: 6 August through 29 October 2024
Cohort 5: 5 November through 28 January 2025
Below are the latest SDA TAP Lab problem statements. We invite industry to solve any combination these. We prefer a broad set of these problems statements be worked each cohort so applications will be evaluated both on technical merit but also based on whether a given problem is already being worked by other cohort members or applicants.
Using commercial or public imagery, detect the start of a space launch cycle automatically.
Using publicly available weather data, predict if weather conditions will satisfy space launch commit criteria automatically.
Using seismic data, commercially available cell-phone accelerometer data, or weather data, detect the time and location of foreign space launches automatically.
Using open sources or historical data, predict launch vehicle ascent trajectories and initial orbit(s) automatically.
Using orbital data, evaluate whether a detected launch is an ASAT and assess the potential target(s).
Using scientific geophysical (ionospheric, geomagnetic, etc.), or web-based software-defined radios, detect the time, location, and vector of objects transiting through the upper atmosphere (between 30 and 300 km altitude) at "space capable" velocities automatically. If the tracked object is Earth-bound, predict the impact location and time.
Using orbital data and/or knowledge of sensors and satellites, develop a sensor search technique that maximizes the likelihood of reacquiring a satellite or space launch vehicle. The technique must be valid for ground or space based EO, IR, RF, or Radar sensors
Develop a method for managing multiple sensor cues that maximizes the likelihood of reacquiring a satellite or space launch vehicle.
Using orbital data, develop a specialized technique to process uncorrelated tracks (UCTs) and promote candidate orbits generated from UCTs which may actively manage their optical or radar signatures or otherwise be evading detection, tracking, and ID.
Using orbital data, automatically detect maneuvers of these kinds:
Using orbital data, automatically detect separation events and classify them as either 1) sub-satellite deployment, 2) Debris generating event. Upon detection of debris generating events, classify them as either:
Using orbital data, automatically detect proximity events between satellite pairs.
Using photometry or RCS taken while tracking satellites, automatically detect changes in satellite attitude. This must include the ability to determine if a satellite is stable or unstable
Using radio frequency characteristics, automatically detect changes in satellite RF transmissions such as bandwidth, channel, mode, center frequency, power, encryption, or beam pointing.
Using orbital data, automatically detect reentry events and predict the impact location and time.
Since we assume surprise may come through camouflage, concealment, deception or maneuver (CCDM) we must interrogate targets for evidence of CCDM. Develop techniques to evaluate whether combinations of the following are true of UCT candidate orbits, or satellites in a catalog classified as UNK, debris, rocket body, or an inactive payload:
Using orbital data, generate a "mega" catalog, derived from any arbitrary number of input catalogs. Steps may include:
Using orbital data, generate a maneuver pattern of life for individual satellites. This may include the timing, magnitude, and vector of maneuvers (intentional changes in kinematic tensor - not naturally occurring forces which perturb an orbit, unless there is evidence that these forces are used intentionally)
Using orbital data, generate an attitude change pattern of life for individual satellites. This may include both changes in bus orientation and also payload orientation (antennas that slew or gimbal, appendages that articulate, etc.)
Generate a radio frequency (RF) pattern of life for individual satellites. This may include typical bandwidth, channel, mode, center frequency, power, encryption, or beam pointing.
Derive sensor models dynamically from data. This may include estimation of field or regard (FOR), field of view (FOV), slew and settle rates, maximum number of "beams", solar and lunar exclusion, and other constraints. This should run automatically.
Using orbital data or all source information, derive basic satellite bus specifications from open source information, satellite behaviors, or other novel methods. Examples include:
Using orbital data or all source information, derive basic satellite payload specifications from open source information, satellite behaviors, or other novel methods. Examples include:
Develop a process to automatically nominate objects for addition/removal to either the High Rate Revisit (HRR) list or Order Of Battle (OOB) or modify the relative rank of objects on HRR list. Consideration:
The inaugural Apollo Accelerator cohort demonstrated solutions to the first set of problem statements on 16 January 2024. Cohorts build rapidly in a collaborative environment to solve real Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Space Battle Management (SBM) problems.
Apollo Accelerator Cohort #2 started on 1 February 2024. The following companies were selected and are working together to mature and integrate space battle management prototypes:
With support from FFRDCs and other government teams:
To manually submit an application please download the application form in the Downloads section of this site and send to the email address in the form.
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