Non-Traditional Space Companies Make Up Initial HALO Pool
Space Development Agency Looks for Quick Turnaround on Concepts
The Space Development Agency (SDA) today announced it has selected 19 non-traditional space companies to join the Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated Low Earth Orbit, or HALO, pool, an acquisition approach to solicit and rapidly award protype demonstrations and experimentation to support future tranches of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
“This creative award solution enables SDA to quickly compete, build, and fly demonstration missions to burn down risk for the future of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture."
SDA Director Derek Tournear.
HALO is an Other Transactions (OT) agreement modeled after an indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity (IDIQ)- approach, where each member receives an initial agreement valued at $20,000 to defray administrative and travel expenses and is then eligible to compete for future HALO demonstration prototype orders.
Future prototype orders under HALO will focus on rapid end-to-end mission demonstrations with launch of two identical satellites 12-18 months after award. The first planned prototype orders in HALO are for the Tranche 2 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T2DES) projects, which will reduce risk and demonstrate feasibility of proliferation for future tactical data links and optical communication missions.
“Through HALO, SDA has an even faster and more flexible contracting mechanism in place to compete and award T2DES and other SDA demonstration projects,” said SDA Director Derek Tournear. “We believe HALO will also increase the pool of performers capable of bidding on future SDA programs, including participation in layers of future tranches.”
Pool members selected include:
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Arlington, Virginia
Apex Technology, Inc., Culver City, California
AST Space Mobile USA LLC, Midland, Texas
Astro Digital, U.S. Inc., San Jose, California
Capella Space Corps., San Francisco
CesiumAstro Inc., Austin, Texas
Firefly Aerospace, Inc., Cedar Park, Texas
Geneva Technologies Inc., Monument, Colorado
Impulse Space, Inc., Redondo Beach, California
Kepler Communications U.S. Inc., Wilmington, Delaware
Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC, Arlington, Virginia
LeoStella LLC, Tukwila, Washington
Momentus Space, San Jose, California
Muon Space, Inc., Mountain View, California
NovaWurks Inc., Los Alamitos, California
Space Exploration Technologies Corps. (SpaceX), Hawthorne, California
Turion Space Corp., Irvine, California
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc., Irvine, California
York Space Systems LLC, Denver
Industry had the opportunity to submit proposals against representative prototype orders to compete for specific flight demonstration opportunities as part of their bid for eligibility to join into the vendor pool. Only vendors in the HALO pool will be able to bid against future specific demonstration prototype orders. HALO may also increase the pool of performers capable of bidding on future SDA programs, including participation in layers of future tranches.
HALO will provide opportunities for companies to gain valuable experience working with SDA on demonstration projects. Space Development Agency, Washington, DC, is the agreement activity (FA24012490030).
About the Space Development Agency. As part of the U.S. Space Force, SDA is recognized as DOD’s constructive disruptor for space acquisition. SDA will accelerate delivery of needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
“We’re seeing an increasing demand for advanced in-space capabilities, including both prototype and feasibility demonstrations that support critical joint warfighter terrestrial missions with rapid and affordable commercial services. Firefly is ready to meet that demand." said Jason Kim, CEO at Firefly Aerospace.
“SDA is proud to welcome 19 vendors into the first-ever HALO pool,” said SDA Director Derek Tournear. “This creative award solution enables SDA to quickly compete, build, and fly demonstration missions to burn down risk for the future of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. We also hope, through the HALO pool, to build a broader base of vendors that can compete for work on operational layers of future tranches.”