THE CHALLENGE
SpaceWERX is launching the Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) Challenge to generate cutting-edge ideas and state-of-the-art capabilities that will enable the United States Space Force (USSF) to more rapidly and flexibly respond to emerging on-orbit threats by 2026. Successful solutions could reduce USSF response times from months or weeks to days or hours, having a significant impact on U.S. and ally resilience.
UPCOMING WORKSHOP
The TacRS Challenge will kick off with a two-day, in-person Challenge Definition Workshop led by experts in design thinking and collaborative facilitation. It will bring together USSF representatives, industry experts, academia, and acquisition professionals to focus on defining current practices and identifying elements required to achieve and normalize TacRS operations.
Register by May 26, 2023, to reserve your spot! You’ll not only be at the forefront of solving complex problems for the USSF—you’ll have the chance to connect with other innovative minds and explore possibilities for transferring commercial concepts to DoD applications.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
We encourage solution providers associated with the following sectors to participate:
- Processing strategies (platforms to streamline, track, and improve “front-end” processes, procedures, and policies)
- Logistics (e.g., storage, security, fueling, support, and transportation)
- Space payload sensors (e.g., electro-optical, infra-red, LIDAR, and RADAR)
- Space vehicles (e.g., spacecraft buses, green and shelf-stable fuels, Delta-V, and disposal)
- Launch vehicles (low-earth orbit (LEO) and medium-earth orbit (MEO) capable)
- Ground systems (e.g, dedicated networks, command and control, on-orbit operations, and global antenna networks)
TacRS focus areas include:
- Responding to threats within the space domain on a tactically relevant and significantly faster timeline
- Reducing the amount of time associated with processing, integrating, and launching a space system
- Finding efficiencies within space vehicle and launch vehicle ground integration operations
- Identifying methods to reduce space bus and payload sensor integration timelines
- Exploring which spacecraft buses can support multi-mission payload sensors for Space Domain Awareness capabilities
- Discovering ways to increase space vehicle Delta-V margin
- Adopting and implementing actions to reduce on-orbit checkout and initialization
- Exploring ways to improve mass-to-cost and mass-to-altitude ratios for launch
- Developing an enduring TacRS capability
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Insights from this workshop will inform the TacRS Challenge solicitation to be released later this year on afwerxchallenge.com and dodsbirsttr.mil. The Challenge will be open to all industries, government, academia, and individual contributors.
Please note: The workshop will not be an opportunity for industry executives and academic professionals to pitch concepts, products, services, technologies, or capabilities; however, innovators with potential solutions are encouraged to join and offer their perspectives and ideas.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the workshop or broader TacRS Challenge, please reach out to Jason Chen at jason.chen.ctr@afwerx.af.mil.
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