SBIR / STTR #DPA26TZ06-DV005

DARPA STTR Solicitation for Fuel-Flexible Spacecraft Electric Propulsion System

DARPA, under the Department of Defense, is seeking innovative small business proposals for the development of a fuel-flexible electric propulsion system for spacecraft as part of the STTR program. - Government Buyer: - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Small Business Programs Office - Space Development Agency (SDA) also identified as a key military buyer - OEMs and Vendors: - DARPA is the primary agency; no specific commercial OEMs are named - Products/Services Requested: - Fuel-flexible spacecraft electric propulsion system - Must operate efficiently (>30% electrical efficiency) on air, water, and mixtures of water/CO2 or nitrogen/hydrogen - Includes thruster, power processing unit, flow control system, and standardized bus control interface - Target applications: very Low Earth Orbit (vLEO) satellites, rideshare-compatible water-fueled satellites, multimode propulsion for chemical rocket exhaust - Durability requirement: >100 hours, with environmental testing and wear tests up to 1000 hours - Must achieve TRL 6 hardware and deliver technical reports - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Direct to Phase II proposals allowed (no prior Phase I required if feasibility is demonstrated) - ITAR-restricted technology; prior Phase I-equivalent demonstration required - Compliance with updated regulatory guidance, cybersecurity maturity, and technical data rights - Environmental qualification: vibration, shock, and thermal cycling - Milestones include system design, prototyping, environmental testing, and flight qualification - Award Structure: - Technical award amount up to $1,000,000 for 12 months, with an option for an additional $1,000,000 and 12 months - Total potential period of performance is 24 months

Description

This solicitation seeks proposals for the development of a fuel-flexible electric propulsion system for spacecraft. The program is part of the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) initiative under DARPA. The solicitation supports Phase D2, 2, and 2S of the program cycle DOD_STTR_2026_P1_CTZ, Release 6. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Department of War SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) by the specified due date. The solicitation includes provisions for Direct to Phase II proposals and outlines award amounts and periods of performance.

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