Identify technologies to detect and track satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) in contested environments for up to $150,000 in awards.

Overview

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), in partnership with the U.S. Space Forces-Indo-Pacific (USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC) and the Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Tools, Applications, & Processing (TAP) Lab and support from India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), are executing a prize challenge focused on detecting and tracking satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) in contested environments.

This event seeks to identify companies capable of developing algorithms to dynamically track satellites attempting to evade detection in near real-time over the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. The bilateral challenge will culminate in a virtual pitch event in February 2025 and is part of the INDUS-X initiative to continue to vitalize the U.S.-India defense industrial cooperation.

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants and select up to 10 companies as finalists for participation in the virtual Pitch Day in February 2025. A total of $150,000 in awards will be distributed among the top-performing company or companies selected from the pool of finalists.

Problem Statement

As competitors and adversaries proliferate LEO with military force enhancements and weapon systems, it is in the best interest of U.S. INDOPACOM and allies/partners to quickly detect, track and identify these satellites. We assume competitors and adversaries will attempt to stifle our efforts to maintain custody of these satellites by implementing some form of camouflage, concealment, deception, or maneuver. In a contested environment, we will need to rapidly search for and track objects which are attempting to evade detection and tracking. Failure to rapidly reacquire threats on-orbit leaves us vulnerable to attack. Given this context, develop an algorithm to dynamically detect and track satellites in LEO transiting over the INDOPACOM area of responsibility (AOR) which may have recently maneuvered.

Context:

  • The challenge is to rapidly reacquire maneuvering satellites that may be attempting to evade detection within a contested space environment.
  • A static dataset will be provided in single bulk electronic delivery. This static dataset may contain more data than would be typically feasible to access via an application program interface (API). Companies can use this static data for algorithm experimentation.
  • An API will also be provided to allow companies to query for near-real time data with both temporal and spatial filters.
  • The data for this challenge aggregates data from a large and expanding constellation of remote sensing satellites designed to measure and predict space and terrestrial weather. This data includes neutral air density (100-1000 km) and concurrent ionospheric ion density fields in a global 4-D grid volume with approximately 100 km horizontal and 10 km vertical spacing, as well as wind conditions, air chemistry, and solar effects.
  • This data updates every 5-10 minutes.

Disclaimer:

  • This dataset is made available under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) Public Domain Dedication as determined by National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Parties to this activity may freely build upon, enhance and reuse this data under these terms.
  • The SDA TAP Lab and affiliated U.S. companies do not create this data but instead provide an aggregation and access service for the convenience of companies participating in this activity.
  • Companies can access this data without needing to use SDA TAP Lab services.
  • Use at your own risk. Access to this data and the aggregation services provided by the SDA TAP Lab does not guarantee the performance of any algorithm developed by third parties.

Key Dates

  • Nov. 14, 2024: Solicitation Release - Challenge.gov, NSIN Website, DIU Website

  • Dec. 4, 2024: “Ask Me Anything” Session

  • Jan. 9, 2025: Solicitation Closes & Down-selection Begins

  • Feb. 6, 2025: Down-selection Ends & Finalists Announced

  • Week of Feb. 17, 2025: Pitch Pre-recording

  • Feb. 27, 2025: Virtual Pitch Event

  • Week of March 3, 2025: Winners Announced

Benefits of Participating

  • $150,000 in awards to the top performing company/companies
  • Exposure to leaders across multiple branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
  • Potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction (OT) Agreements, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others

Eligibility

  • U.S. owned and operated companies; OR India owned and operated companies*
  • Active registration in Sam.gov
  • Early-mid stage ventures (i.e., little to no DoD contracts, equal to or earlier than Series B); OR non-traditional defense contractors, as defined in the 2023 DoD Other Transactions Guide
  • Ability to demonstrate the solution’s capabilities by February 2025

*Companies from NATO, Five Eyes Alliance, USMCA, and TPP countries are eligible to participate in a team provided that the team is comprised of a U.S. owned and operated company and/or India owned and operated company.

Judging Criteria

Applications and Pitches for both problem statements will be judged on five criteria:

  • Technical Soundness & Innovation: Soundness, technical merit, innovation of proposed approach, and feasibility of the proposed solution.

  • Team Qualifications: Qualifications of proposed principals, support staff, and consultants.

  • Commercial Viability: Company has a technology solution that is viable in non-defense markets.

  • Quality of Pitch: Company presents a clear and concise overview of its company and technology, demonstrates how its technology solves one or more of the defined problem areas, and effectively answers questions from strategic advisors.

  • Operational Alignment: Proposed solution aligns with listed technical specifications.

Technical Specifications & Guidelines:

This algorithm should:

  • Provide high-quality state vectors (i.e., position, velocity, uncertainty information) or orbits (two-line element sets) when forecasted or propagated (a short duration) into the future.
  • Deliver near real-time tracking solutions, utilizing common interface standards (e.g., RESTful APIs), enabling quick reacquisition of targets.
  • Prioritize high-quality tracking solutions for satellites transiting over INDOPACOM AOR.
  • Degradation of tracking solution quality beyond the AOR is acceptable, as the focus is on high-quality solutions within the AOR.

Examples of the data products performers are expected to output from their algorithms:

Two Line Element Set (TLE)

ISS (ZARYA)

1 25544U 98067A 08264.51782528 -.00002182 00000-0 -11606-4 0 2927

2 25544 51.6416 247.4627 0006703 130.5360 325.0288 15.72125391563537

State Vector - NOTE: the format (JSON, XML, etc.) is less important than the fields and their contents.

{

"idStateVector": "UUID here",

"classificationMarking": "U",

"epoch": "2024-09-03T13:03:17.950762Z",

"satNo": 44910,

"xpos": -13133.1870962898,

"ypos": -40045.0187610066,

"zpos": 502.588021546376,

"xvel": 2.91624005568491,

"yvel": -0.961924074064296,

"zvel": -0.177890037806959,

"referenceFrame": "ECEF",

"cov": [0.00729549558474623, 0.00276875943249917, 0.00671042161197506, -0.000778335176945945, -0.000428862067398075, 0.000516095209600449, 4.09946871831617e-7, 4.49949094300698e-7, -5.09718923561193e-8, 4.04044470880795e-11, 3.37086581144848e-7, -3.37538072951818e-8, -3.044256553365e-8, 1.38398294864384e-11, 4.73259243654422e-11, -1.2994733501573e-8, -1.65967035931523e-8, 4.46137718209972e-9, -8.96177142784708e-13, -1.00696882363484e-12, 1.11863064465915e-11],

"posUnc": 0.0993342119518519,

"velUnc": 0.000007626903759373,

"solarRadPressCoeff": 0,

"dragCoeff": 0,

"source": "Company Name Here",

"dataMode": "REAL",

"createdAt": "2024-09-03T14:11:08.511Z",

},

End-User: U. S. DoD

Ask Me Anything Session:

Participants will have the unique opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the DoD Mission Partner regarding the challenge during the AMA session on December 4, 2024. This interaction will provide clarity on technical requirements, eligibility, criteria, challenge mechanics, and administrative processes. Engaging in the AMA fosters a deeper understanding of the challenge’s objectives, allowing participants to tailor their submissions effectively.

You can also submit questions at any time to prizechallenge@diu.mil.

White Paper Submission Requirements:

Teams will submit a written notional concept of operations (CONOPS) of their solution, including methods and system information and an annotated graphic/schematic illustrating the CONOPS. Example outputs from the algorithm should also be provided, along with any additional information demonstrating the capability of your solution. White papers should adhere to the following format requirements:

  • 1-inch margins
  • Single spaced
  • 12-point Times New Roman font
  • PDF file
  • Maximum 4 pages (including graphic/schematic, excluding citations)

Pitch Deck Submission Requirements:

Teams will submit a pitch deck outlining their technology capabilities that addresses the features listed above. Pitch decks should meet the following format requirements:

  • Sized 16:9 (1920x1080 pixels)
  • Horizontal presentation
  • PDF file
  • Maximum 10 slides

Submit Now

Participants must submit solutions for the Dual Horizons: U.S.-India Satellite Tracking Challenge via the link below.

Submit Now

Questions

Please direct your questions to prizechallenge@diu.mil.

About U.S. Space Forces - Indo-Pacific

U.S. Space Forces – Indo-Pacific (USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC) is permanently assigned as the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Service component to USINDOPACOM. USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC plans, integrates, synchronizes, and executes command and control of space operations in support of combatant command priorities and objectives and is the lead/supported command for joint space theater integration, joint space target development, space domain awareness, and space-focused security cooperation in accordance with the USINDOPACOM Campaign Plan and in coordination with Department of Air Force (DAF), USSF, and U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) security cooperation strategies. With allies and partners, USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC enhances stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting interoperability and integration from planning and programming through fielding and execution to respond to contingencies, deter aggression, and maintain space superiority in pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

About Space Domain Awareness TAP Lab

The Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, & Processing Lab (SDA TAP Lab) accelerates the delivery of space battle management software to operational units. SDA TAP Lab decomposes kill chains, prioritizes needs with operators, maps needs to technologies, and onboards technologies to existing platforms quickly. They partner with industry, academia, and across the government to succeed.

About Innovations for Defence Excellence

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) is a flagship initiative by the Government of India, to foster innovation and enhance collaboration between the defence sector and the startup ecosystem. By engaging startups, MSMEs, and individual innovators, iDEX aims to deliver technologically advanced solutions to modernize the Indian Armed Forces. iDEX offers grants of up to INR 25 crore (∼ $3 million), and other support for R&D/rapid prototype development, facilitating the future adoption of cutting-edge technologies in Indian defence and aerospace. Over the years, iDEX has emerged as a key pathway for procurement, empowering Indian defence startups and MSMEs to contribute to national security.

About the Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology in the Department of Defense and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago and Washington, DC, DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country.

About National Security Innovation Network

NSIN is a component of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) program office. We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

For more information or interview requests with Team NSIN, please contact us at media@nsin.mil.

Intellectual Property Considerations: Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission. For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. DIU will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.


Other Transaction Authority: This DIU Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.


Satisfying Competition Requirements: This DIU Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, and/or Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025. The public open call announcement made on the NSIN website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b).


The Defense Innovation Unit and the National Security Innovation Network reserve the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at the Defense Innovation Unit and the National Security Innovation Network’s sole discretion.