HIGHER GROUND LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: SOCOM212-001
HIGHER GROUND LLC — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from Department of Defense in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $149,891. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code SOCOM212-001 links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $149,891
- Agency
- Department of Defense · Special Operations Command
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- SOCOM212-001
- Solicitation
- 21.2
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- CA
- Period
- 2021-07-16 → 2022-01-20
Description
In response to SOCOM212-001, Higher Ground proposes to develop a man-portable battery powered Starlink user terminal. Convenient handheld terminals connecting to a very large network of LEO satellites (such as Starlink) could provide the necessary ‘always-on’ reliability that one expects from using GEO satellites along with an additional advantage that we refer to as ‘The LEO Advantage’. The LEO Advantage comes from the near-earth proximity of LEO satellites as compared to GEO satellites. This signal level advantage could improve the data rate and/or substantially improve the Low Probability of Interception/Detection (LPI/LPD) of the soldier’s handheld. However, there are also some disadvantages of LEOs: (i.e., spectral priority, scale required for coverage, multiple gateways, antenna tracking requirement) which also must go into the decision of which constellation to use. We will suggest using our COTS SatPaq satellite handheld (which connects to GEO satellites on the same Ku band as Starlink satellites) to help study and possibly implement a multi-orbit handheld solution. A handheld-sized, multi-orbit product would provide the flexibility to select the appropriate orbit option [GEO, MEO or LEO] based on the needs and circumstances of the soldier in the field.