The Spaceport Company Wins U.S. Air Force R&D Contract

The Spaceport Company has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase I contract focused on sea-based launch to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now on July 1, 2024, The Spaceport Company will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

The Spaceport Company offers two products: a hypersonic missile test range from its specialized launch ship, the Once in a Lifetime, and a containerized telemetry and tracking station able to be operated from austere locations (like on a ship at sea). Their next launch campaign will occur in Q3 2024, no earlier than August 26, 2024.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.