The Department of War is seeking commercial technologies to monitor geosynchronous orbit, where both U.S. and adversary satellites operate in an increasingly contested environment.
The Defense Innovation Unit posted a commercial solutions opening to solicit industry proposals for a geosynchronous high-resolution optical, space-based tactical reconnaissance capability.
The effort, dubbed the Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance, also known as GHOST-R or Ghost Recon, aims to leverage commercially developed space vehicles, buses and electro-optical payloads to deliver high-resolution space-to-space imagery and characterize resident space objects in GEO.
Proposals are due March 3.
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What Is the Department of War’s GEO Reconnaissance Timeline?
According to DIU, within 24 months, the department wants a minimum viable product, which means that the technology must be capable of capturing a high-resolution electro-optical image of a GEO object using a commercially operated spacecraft. Within 36 months, the “Ghost Recon” space vehicle would transition from commercially owned and operated to government-owned and operated. By 48 months, the system should perform at least one drive-by or inclined track design reference mission per week.
What Technical Standards Must Vendors Meet for the CSO?
Proposed systems must meet baseline requirements, including a design life of at least three years in GEO, rendezvous and proximity operations capability, and compliance with National Security Space Launch integration standards. Space vehicles must also satisfy cybersecurity controls under the risk management framework and National Security Agency encryption requirements.
The CSO notes that a prototype other transaction agreement could result in a direct follow-on production award without further competition, contingent on successful prototype performance.
