System F6 Program, Phase 2 - the System F-6 Program Seeks to Demonstrate the Feasibility and Benefits of a Satellite Architecture Wherein the Functionality of a Traditional Monolithic Spacecraft IS Replaced by a Cluster of Wirelessly-Interconnected Spacecraft Modules. Each Such Fractionated Module Would Contribute a Unique Capability, E.G., Computation and Data Handling, Communications Relay, Guidance and Navigation, Payload Sensing, ETC., or IT Could Replicate the Capability of Another Module. the Fractionated Modules Would FLY in a Loose, Proximate Cluster Orbit or Potentially Self-Assemble Into an Aggregate System. Critical to This Architecture IS a Robust, System-Level Approach to Ensuring Security, Integrity, and Availability, While Implementing Authentication and Non-Repudiation. the Modules Create a Virtual Satellite, Delivering a Comparable Mission Capability to a Monolithic Spacecraft, While Significantly Enhancing Functional and Programmatic Flexibility and Robustness, Reducing Risk Through the Mission Life and Spacecraft Development Cycle, and Enabling Incremental Deployment of the System. the System F-6 Architecture IS Designed to Provide Valuable Options to Decision Makers Throughout the Life Cycle Development of Future Space Systems That ARE Absent in Present-Day Monolithic Architectures
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $34,567,950 ($34.6M)
Contractor: Orbital Sciences LLC
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Date: 2009-11-25
End Date: 2010-11-24
Contract Duration: 364 days
Daily Burn Rate: $95.0K/day
Official Description: SYSTEM F6 PROGRAM, PHASE 2 - THE SYSTEM F-6 PROGRAM SEEKS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY AND BENEFITS OF A SATELLITE ARCHITECTURE WHEREIN THE FUNCTIONALITY OF A TRADITIONAL MONOLITHIC SPACECRAFT IS REPLACED BY A CLUSTER OF WIRELESSLY-INTERCONNECTED SPACECRAFT MODULES. EACH SUCH FRACTIONATED MODULE WOULD CONTRIBUTE A UNIQUE CAPABILITY, E.G., COMPUTATION AND DATA HANDLING, COMMUNICATIONS RELAY, GUIDANCE AND NAVIGATION, PAYLOAD SENSING, ETC., OR IT COULD REPLICATE THE CAPABILITY OF ANOTHER MODULE. THE FRACTIONATED MODULES WOULD FLY IN A LOOSE, PROXIMATE CLUSTER ORBIT OR POTENTIALLY SELF-ASSEMBLE INTO AN AGGREGATE SYSTEM. CRITICAL TO THIS ARCHITECTURE IS A ROBUST, SYSTEM-LEVEL APPROACH TO ENSURING SECURITY, INTEGRITY, AND AVAILABILITY, WHILE IMPLEMENTING AUTHENTICATION AND NON-REPUDIATION. THE MODULES CREATE A VIRTUAL SATELLITE, DELIVERING A COMPARABLE MISSION CAPABILITY TO A MONOLITHIC SPACECRAFT, WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING FUNCTIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC FLEXIBILITY AND ROBUSTNESS, REDUCING RISK THROUGH THE MISSION LIFE AND SPACECRAFT DEVELOPMENT CYCLE, AND ENABLING INCREMENTAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM F-6 ARCHITECTURE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE VALUABLE OPTIONS TO DECISION MAKERS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE SPACE SYSTEMS THAT ARE ABSENT IN PRESENT-DAY MONOLITHIC ARCHITECTURES.
Place of Performance
Location: Virginia, 20166
State: Virginia Government Spending