Nichols Martin
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will begin reviewing proposals for cheaper alternatives to using traditional military satellites, Space News reported Thursday.
DARPA intends to award contracts, totaling $117.5 million, for work to develop the Blackjack program’s low Earth orbit constellation, which will be used to deliver global coverage for military operations.
The agency will select up to eight contractors to supply commercial satellite buses and payloads that can be integrated with military sensors and payloads. Additional contracts will be awarded for hardware and software, launch services, ground systems work and constellation flight operations, the report noted.
Interested contributors may submit proposals on completed or in-progress technologies.
DARPA is accepting bids through June 6.
