ONHS Report: FA9453-19-S-0002

Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR)

Solicitation ID: FA9453-19-S-0002

Agency: AFRL

Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

Deadline: 2030-03-25T02:00:00 ET

Eligibility: Maybe (Dual Approval Required)

Funding: Multiple awards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000,000; total program value is unspecified.

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: TS/SCI

Program Manager: daniel.alvarado.12@spaceforce.mil

Last Updated: 2025-11-24 13:24

Analyzed File: OPEN_ARA_Announcement_-_FINAL.pdf (with Amendment 5 (v2).pdf)

Eligibility Reasoning

The FFRDC's sponsoring agency must first make a determination that the effort being proposed falls within the purpose, mission, general scope of effort, or special competency of the FFRDC... In addition, the non-sponsoring agency (in this case AFRL) must make a determination that the work proposed would not place the FFRDC in direct competition with domestic private industry. Only after these determinations are made would a determination be made concerning the FFRDC's eligibility to receive an award.

Note: This is an AI-generated summary...

Summary

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate's Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR) program is an Open Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) soliciting proposals for research, development, and experimentation across a wide spectrum of space technologies. This two-step solicitation, starting with a white paper submission, has no fixed due date and anticipates multiple awards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000,000, utilizing various instruments like FAR-based contracts and Other Transactions (OTs). The program's technical focus is divided into four main areas: 1) Enhancing core spacecraft functionality and logistics, including on-orbit servicing, manufacturing, and debris management. 2) Developing new mission effects and capabilities like space-based sensing, resilient Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), advanced communications, and space-based solar power. 3) Improving anomaly detection, attribution, and protection for space systems against natural and man-made threats. 4) Advancing Space Battle Management, Command, and Control (BMC2) through data fusion, AI/ML, and autonomy to ensure continuous delivery of space services in contested environments.

Overall Technical Areas

Space Vehicle SubsystemsDeployable Structures & AperturesOn-Orbit Servicing & ManufacturingSpace Debris MitigationSmall Satellite DevelopmentSpace-Based Sensing TechnologiesIonospheric Modification TechniquesSatellite Communication HardwareResilient PNT ArchitecturesQuantum Sensing & TimingSpace-Based Solar Power TransferModeling & SimulationData Exploitation AlgorithmsAI / Machine LearningSpace Battle Management & C2

Probable LBNL Areas

BSACSAEESAESAETALDPSA

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

Enhance core spacecraft components and subsystems to enable game-changing improvements in agility, resilience, affordability and performance for DoD spacecraft.
Specific areas of technology being sought include: large deployable structures and apertures; thermal control systems; integrated structural sensing; resilient materials and structures; agile manufacturing; power generation, distribution, management, and storage; command and data handling, including networking within and between spacecraft; survivable and cyber-resistant space-flight electronics; guidance, navigation, and control; agile maneuver; and autonomy.
Innovative technologies that enable logistics support to space operations are being sought, such as: reliable and responsive space access; resilient command and control networks; on-orbit manufacturing, assembly, repair, resupply and repurposing; and space debris mitigation.
Novel technologies, concepts, and approaches that enable rapid and affordable fielding of the above space vehicle functionality, to include technologies that enable disaggregated bus and payload concepts, as well as small satellite development and demonstrations.

Specific Technical Skills:

Spacecraft SubsystemsDeployable StructuresThermal ControlPower Systems EngineeringOn-Orbit Servicing & ManufacturingSpace Debris MitigationAgile ManufacturingCyber-Resistant ElectronicsGuidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC)Small Satellite Development

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Jennifer Stokes-Draut	0.68	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Sustainable Energy Dept
Prakash Rao	0.68	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg & Industrial App Dpt
Peter Tennessen	0.68	PSA \| Engineering \| Mechanical Engineering
Louis-Benoit Desroches	0.68	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Efficiency Studies
Anand Krishnan Prakash	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Peng Peng	0.67	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Sustainable Energy Dept
Rohan Adwankar	0.67	BSA \| Biological Systems & Engineering \| Process Engr & Analytics
Shawn Tornga	0.67	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Nicholas Wenner	0.67	PSA \| Engineering \| Mechanical Engineering
David Blum	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept

Example Priorities:

Provide decisive mission capabilities and reliable space services to enable the joint warfighter to control the space domain and exploit it to support control of other domains.
Space-based sensing technologies to detect, track, characterize and warn of rapidly evolving & emerging threats; battlespace awareness;
Ionospheric specification, forecast and modification techniques to improve radar and communication systems performance by exploiting environmental conditions;
Space communication hardware (e.g. antennas, feed networks, transmitters, receivers, amplifier/electronics, signal processing, etc.), software and networks to enable access to new band-width and seamlessly interconnect warfighters across multiple domains;
Affordable or rapidly deployable position, navigation and timing (PNT) payload technologies and concepts; resilient multi-layer PNT architectures and signals;
Quantum sensing and timing (including time transfer);
Efficient transfer of solar power from space-based platforms to transportable remote receivers;
Agile and affordable modeling, simulation, and analysis technologies and testbeds to enable live, virtual, and constructive assessments of new mission concepts.

Specific Technical Skills:

Space-Based SensingIonospheric PhysicsRF Communications HardwarePosition, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)Resilient ArchitecturesQuantum SensingSpace Solar PowerModeling and SimulationSignal ProcessingPayload Development

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Shawn Tornga	0.70	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Qiang Du	0.70	PSA \| Engineering \| Electronic Engineering
Alp Sipahigil	0.69	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics
Andre Santos	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Stijn (Stan) Wielandt	0.69	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept
Boubacar Kante	0.69	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics
Arun Persaud	0.69	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Thomas Schenkel	0.69	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Emil Rofors	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Jayson Vavrek	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP

Example Priorities:

Develop analytic tools and sensors to predict, detect, and aid in distinguishing the effects of natural and man-made threats to spacecraft, payloads and space services.
Enabling rapid detection, attribution, and mitigation of space-flight systems mission anomalies from either environmental or threat effects through combined physical analysis, experimentation, and modeling & simulation.
Data exploitation algorithms for timely threat warning characterization of space events and objects;
Innovative design and operation options to specify, predict, mitigate, and avoid natural and man-made hazards to DoD space systems;
Cyber threat warning and protection;
Passive and active protection options to avoid or mitigate the effect of anomalies or actions to disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy space-flight systems and services.

Specific Technical Skills:

Anomaly DetectionThreat AttributionSpace Situational AwarenessData ExploitationSpace Environment ModelingSystem HardeningSpace CybersecurityActive Protection SystemsPhysical AnalysisPredictive Analytics

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Shawn Tornga	0.70	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Alexander Sim	0.69	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Marco Salathe	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Sean Peisert	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Gazi Mahmud	0.68	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Emil Rofors	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Bethany Goldblum	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| Nuclear Data
Andre Santos	0.67	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Thorsten Hellert	0.67	PSA \| ATAP \| ALS Accelerator Physics Prog
Helen Weierbach	0.67	EESA \| EG \| Geochemistry Dept

Example Priorities:

Enable uninterrupted delivery of tactical, operational and strategic space services within a contested environment by providing unprecedented domain awareness; accurate and timely battle management tools; and robust command and control options.
Data fusion, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related methods for rapid threat assessment and response;
Multi-domain (land, sea, air, and space) net-centric command and control concepts;
Autonomy and on-board threat assessment algorithms to enhance satellite resiliency;
Integration of allied, commercial, and non-traditional capabilities.

Specific Technical Skills:

Data FusionMachine LearningArtificial IntelligenceCommand and Control (C2)Threat AssessmentOn-board AutonomyDecision Support SystemsMulti-Domain OperationsNet-Centric ArchitecturesSystem Integration

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Shawn Tornga	0.70	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Zhe Bai	0.70	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Gazi Mahmud	0.69	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Alexander Sim	0.69	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Oluwamayowa Amusat	0.69	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Sufi Kaur	0.69	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Marco Pritoni	0.68	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
John Wu	0.68	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Tech Adv and Engagement
Samuel Williams	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Cindy Zhu	0.68	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Whole Building Sys Dept

Potential LBNL PIs (Overall)

Note on PI Matching: These suggestions are generated through an AI-driven semantic analysis of LBNL staff profiles.

Name	Score	Organization
Talita Perciano Costa Leite	0.75	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research · AI / Machine Learning
Zachary Needell	0.75	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Modeling & Simulation
Erhan Saglamyurek	0.75	CSA \| ESNET \| Tech Adv and Engagement · Quantum Sensing & Timing
Ronald Cohen	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Space-Based Sensing Technologies
Holger Mueller	0.74	BSA \| Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging \| Structural Biology Dept · Deployable Structures & Apertures
Houjun Tang	0.74	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications · Data Exploitation Algorithms
Alexandre Bayen	0.72	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Resilient PNT Architectures
Yuan Mei	0.72	PSA \| PHY \| Atlas · Satellite Communication Hardware
Yuankun Xu	0.72	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · Ionospheric Modification Techniques
Eric Masanet	0.72	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Space-Based Solar Power Transfer

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

Export Control: Information involved in this research effort is subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) 22 CFR Parts 120-130, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR Parts 730-774).