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 U.S. companies, University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), industry experts, and Guardians to team together to solve critical SDA challenges. We are targeting TRL 4+ technologies that are scoped to solve problem statements put forward before each cohort. Details below. Watch for announcements.
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 voluntary, collaborative tech accelerator for U.S. companies, Academia, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), industry experts, and Guardians to team together to solve critical SDA challenges. The SDA TAP Lab will announce problem statements related to space domain awareness, threat warning & assessment, and space battle management. Companies will be invited to apply, and if selected, will work in a collaborative cohort based at 2424 Garden of the Gods rd., Colorado Springs, and be given access to a digital sandbox which will include data, foundational SDA micro-services, a software development environment, and the ability for participants to host their own apps and micro-services. During each cohort, participants will be enjoy mentorship from operators, industry experts, acquirers, and government leadership.
The spirit of the Apollo Accelerator is to stimulate innovation and collaboration between industry, the DoD, and academia, so preference will be given to applicants who can participate in person. However, remote participation is welcome. Participation is fully voluntary.
Apollo Accelerator is seeking solutions that are roughly between TRL 4 and TRL 6 but no strict assessment will be made by the SDA TAP Lab (See the Downloads section for TRL Definitions). At the end of an Apollo Accelerator Cohort, participants will demonstrate their solution to an audience which may include SDA TAP Lab, SSC or other government organization program offices or acquirers, operators, and government leadership. Pending a successful demonstration, the SDA TAP Lab will deliberate with other government sponsors to encourage and facilitate possible follow-on contract actions. While there is no promise of funding or contracts, the objective of the Apollo Accelerator is to stimulate investment in commercial capabilities.
APOLLO ACCELERATOR DATES
Applications for Apollo Accelerator Cohort #2 are open now. Apply below!
The cohort will begin 22 January 2024 and run through the end of April 2024.
Schedule details coming soon.
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:
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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