Lenoir Sciences LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF192-001

Description

Warfighting requirements on the surface of the earth have rapidly evolved. The rate of change continues to accelerate, virtually guaranteeing the future security environment will be different than today. The overwhelming success of Desert Storm, that was heavily reliant on space-based infrastructure, acted as a wake-up call to adversaries of the USA. State and non-state actors saw firsthand the advantages of networked command and control, overhead surveillance and precision targeting. Meanwhile, space systems were increasingly viewed as critical to U.S. conventional power. Combined with the fact that space capabilities are provided by a few, relatively vulnerable satellite architectures led to the assessment that U.S. reliance on space was a potential Achilles Heel. Distributed constellations of small satellites are a key element to counteract these threats. it offers the possibility to increase technology refresh opportunities, improve requirements discipline, increase launch and space industrial base stability, increase affordability and improve deterrence.