The U.S. Space Force has selected two teams led by Rice University and the University of Arizona to conduct remote sensing research under the Space Strategic Technology Institute, or STTI, 4.
The university-led teams secured cooperative agreements worth up to $16 million over three and a half years, the Space Force said Wednesday. STTI 4 is part of a series of solicitations issued by the USSF University Consortium over the past two years.
Leaders from the Air Force and the Space Force will discuss the capabilities that airmen and guardians need to combat the growing threats in the air and space domains at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30. Get your tickets today.
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What Is the Space Strategic Technology Institute Program?
SSTI is an initiative to accelerate the transition of new technologies from lab to real-world applications in support of Space Force missions. Launched in 2023, the initiative aims to address scientific and technological challenges in space through partnerships with universities and other research organizations.
“By continuing to support and collaborate with academic institutions, the United States can ensure it remains at the forefront of technological advancement and global leadership in the increasingly contested domain of space,” Stacie Williams, chief science officer at the Space Force, stated.
The SSTI program is expected to produce testbeds, high-fidelity modeling and simulation tools, demonstrations and prototypes that can support future operational capabilities for the Space Force.
What Technologies Has the SSTI Program Produced?
The University Consortium has already facilitated several technology transitions over the past two years, including a $36 million commercial contract awarded to Axiom by Texas A&M University’s in-space operations team and a follow-on $6 million contract tied to technology developed at the University of Texas at Austin.
Additional transitions include two Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research awards worth $2.5 million to a University of Michigan team for research on advanced space power and propulsion technologies.
The resulting innovations have contributed to hardware development for the Axiom commercial space station, introduced propulsion technologies to the commercial market and improved algorithms used by the Space Force.
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