ORLANDO / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – The US Space Force’s Space Rapid Capabilities Office is planning a call for proposals for agile space capabilities. But funding from the Small Business Innovation Research Program is uncertain, delaying plans. These uncertainties also affect contracts for radar satellite payloads, which are critical for threat warnings.
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The U.S. Space Force’s Space Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) faces challenges in executing its plans for agile space capabilities due to uncertain funding from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program in 2026. This uncertainty also affects contracts for radar satellite payloads, which are crucial for threat warnings. According to Dr. According to Kelly Hammett, director of the Space RCO, a selection of three providers has already been made, but their names have not yet been announced.
The current National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) does not provide for an extension of SBIR and STTR authority for 2026, resulting in bidding delays. Hammett emphasizes that SBIR/STTR funding is a controversial issue. On the one hand, it is argued that the program is necessary to promote new market participants, but on the other hand, it is criticized that the financial resources are often only sufficient for studies and not for specific products.
In the summer, Space RCO hosted an Industry Day with satellite manufacturers and system integrators, including K2 Space and Turion Space. It became clear that the specifications originally set were too demanding. The requirements were combined from different missions, which overwhelmed the companies. Therefore, the requirements are now divided into different classes to reduce development costs and time.
The Space RCO, established seven years ago modeled after the Air Force RCO, aims to rapidly deploy space capabilities to ensure superiority in space. Hammett said the organization is already implementing many of the reforms requested by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, such as the flexibility to move funds between programs or terminate failing programs.
In the future, the Space RCO portfolio could change, as each Portfolio Acquisition Executive will have its own mission area. While the Space RCO is primarily concerned with space superiority, its remit also includes threat warnings and the satellite communications augmentation resource that enables telemetry, tracking and control. Hammett expects assigned programs to change as portfolios are restructured.
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