ONHS Report: FA9453-23-R-X001

Space Environment Technologies and Science (SETS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Solicitation ID: FA9453-23-R-X001

Agency: AFRL/RVB

Type: Solicitation

Deadline: 2028-12-18T01:59:00 ET

Eligibility: Maybe (Dual Approval Required)

Funding: Total anticipated program funding of $98.5M, with yearly amounts from FY24 to FY31 ranging from $6M to $14M.

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: Secret

Program Manager: lucas.reigelsperger@spaceforce.mil

Last Updated: 2025-11-24 13:08

Analyzed File: SETS Full Text Announcement Final 17 Sep 2025.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 and that determination must be included in the FFRDC’s proposal. In addition, the non-sponsoring agency must make a determination that the work proposed would not place the FFRDC in direct competition with domestic private industry.

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

Summary

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has issued the Space Environment Technologies and Science (SETS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to support research in space and environmental impacts technologies. The program aims to understand, specify, predict, and mitigate the effects of the space environment on Department of Defense and national security systems. This is a closed BAA with calls, meaning proposals should not be submitted to the base BAA but rather to specific calls as they are released. The five core technical areas of interest are: 1) Solar, Solar Wind, and Ionospheric Effects; 2) Thermosphere, Satellite Drag, and the Reentry Environment; 3) Plasma Physics and Chemistry; 4) Particle Effects and Radiation Belt Environment; and 5) Cislunar Environment. The program seeks to develop advanced models, sensors, and data products. Deliverables, which will be specified in each call, may include hardware, software, scientific reports, and prototypes.

Overall Technical Areas

Space Environment ModelingIonospheric Prediction ModelsSolar & Heliospheric ModelingRF Signal Propagation EffectsNeutral Atmosphere ModelingSatellite Drag ForecastingPrecision Orbit DeterminationPlasma Physics & ChemistryRadiation Belt Environment ModelingCharged Particle EffectsSpacecraft Charging AnalysisWave-Particle Interaction PhysicsCislunar Environment ForecastingSpace Environment Sensor Development

Probable LBNL Areas

CSAEESAESAETALDPSA

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

improve specification and prediction models of ionospheric conditions and phenomena that impact radio frequency signals such as for communications, PNT, and radar systems.
Develop and couple advanced solar models with other space environment models such as ionospheric models to improve prediction capabilities.
Develop novel approaches to and improve space- and ground-based solar, heliospheric, ionospheric, and magnetospheric instrumentation/data necessary to drive the models.
Model the dynamics of the equatorial, subauroral, auroral, and polar ionosphere including small scale and irregular structure.
Research and development of active experiment techniques, devices, delivery systems, diagnostics, models, and systems impacts.

Specific Technical Skills:

Ionospheric ModelingSolar PhysicsHeliospheric PhysicsMagnetospheric PhysicsRF Signal PropagationPNT SystemsSpace-based InstrumentationGround-based InstrumentationGeospace ModelingActive Experimentation

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Jayson Vavrek	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
William Boos	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
Andre Santos	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Hannah Klion	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics
Remi Lehe	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog
William Riley	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Simone Ferraro	0.68	PSA \| PHY \| Dark Energy
Spencer Klein	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| RNC
Stepan Bulanov	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| BELLA Center
Edoardo Zoni	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog

Example Priorities:

develop empirical and physics-based models, sensors, and data products to accurately specify and forecast the neutral atmosphere and satellite drag
to identify space objects that orbit the Earth, to provide precision orbit determination and prediction, including reentry predictions
to assess the likelihood of collisions.

Specific Technical Skills:

Thermospheric ModelingSatellite Drag AnalysisPrecision Orbit DeterminationCollision AssessmentReentry PredictionPhysics-based ModelingEmpirical ModelingAtmospheric SensingSpace Object IdentificationOrbital Mechanics

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Andre Santos	0.70	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Shawn Tornga	0.69	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Sofia Hamilton	0.69	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Markets & Policy
Daniel Feldman	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
Louis-Benoit Desroches	0.69	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Efficiency Studies
Travis O'Brien	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
Zhe Bai	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
William Riley	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
David Romps	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
William Boos	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences

Example Priorities:

investigate a variety of plasma states, from collisional to magnetized, as well as a variety of compositions, including typical atmospheric species as well as exotic neutral and ionized species and their reactions.
Investigate plasma chemistry as related to the fundamentals of catalysis and energetic materials.

Specific Technical Skills:

Plasma PhysicsPlasma ChemistryCollisional PlasmasMagnetized PlasmasAtmospheric ChemistryIonized Species AnalysisCatalysisEnergetic MaterialsReaction KineticsSpectroscopy

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Stephen Leone	0.72	ESA \| CSD \| Gas Phase
Thomas Schenkel	0.72	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Vassilia Zorba	0.72	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Alexey Drobizhev	0.71	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Arun Persaud	0.71	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Edoardo Zoni	0.71	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog
Zhe Bai	0.71	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Boxun Hu	0.71	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Cameron Geddes	0.71	PSA \| Physical Sciences \| Accel Tech & AppPhysics
Davide Terzani	0.71	PSA \| ATAP \| BELLA Center

Example Priorities:

specify and predict effects of charged particles on space operations.
Improve models of the fluxes of radiation belt and plasma particles in space for use in space system design, mission planning, and other applications of climatological specification.
Improve models and analysis of spacecraft charging.
Develop novel technologies to protect low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites from the effects of high-altitude nuclear explosions (HANE).
Advance understanding of the interplay between waves and particles that underlie radiation belt dynamics, enabling better specification, forecasting, and mitigation.

Specific Technical Skills:

Radiation Belt ModelingSpacecraft Charging AnalysisCharged Particle EffectsWave-particle InteractionsVLF PropagationHigh-Altitude Nuclear Effects (HANE)Materials ScienceSpace System DesignThreat AssessmentMission Planning

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Shawn Tornga	0.72	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta	0.71	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Louis-Benoit Desroches	0.71	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Efficiency Studies
Jayson Vavrek	0.70	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Simone Ferraro	0.70	PSA \| PHY \| Dark Energy
Chad Mitchell	0.70	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog
Thomas Schenkel	0.70	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Davide Terzani	0.70	PSA \| ATAP \| BELLA Center
Edoardo Zoni	0.69	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog
Reynold Cooper	0.69	PSA \| NSD \| ANP

Example Priorities:

develop models, sensors, and data products to accurately specify and forecast the Cislunar plasma and radiation environment
to support the design and operation of vehicles in the cislunar environment depending upon orbit.
Investigate environmental phenomenology of the Near-lunar environment including the radiation and plasma environment in the lunar wake as well as dust fountaining.

Specific Technical Skills:

Cislunar Environment ModelingLunar Environment SensingPlasma Environment AnalysisRadiation Environment AnalysisLunar Wake PhenomenologyLunar Dust DynamicsSpace Sensor DevelopmentCislunar Vehicle DesignCislunar Orbit DynamicsSpace Weather Forecasting

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Andre Santos	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta	0.69	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Thomas Schenkel	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT
Louis-Benoit Desroches	0.68	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Efficiency Studies
Shawn Tornga	0.68	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Chad Mitchell	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog
Emil Rofors	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Changchun Sun	0.68	PSA \| ATAP \| ALS Accelerator Physics Prog
Jayson Vavrek	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Travis O'Brien	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences

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
Andre Anders	0.76	PSA \| ATAP \| FS&IBT · Plasma Physics & Chemistry
Stuart Bale	0.75	PSA \| PHY \| Cosmic Microwave Background Gr · Solar & Heliospheric Modeling
Eleanor Zizka	0.75	BSA \| Biological Systems & Engineering \| Department of BioEngineering and BioMedical Sciences · Charged Particle Effects
Carlo Benedetti	0.75	PSA \| ATAP \| BELLA Center · Wave-Particle Interaction Physics
Stephen Holland	0.74	PSA \| PHY \| Detector Development · Space Environment Sensor Development
Stijn (Stan) Wielandt	0.73	PSA \| Engineering \| Electronic Engineering · RF Signal Propagation Effects
Noel Keen	0.73	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences · Space Environment Modeling
Gregory Lemieux	0.73	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences · Precision Orbit Determination
Jie Zhang	0.72	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Energy Markets & Planning · Neutral Atmosphere Modeling
Chad Mitchell	0.72	PSA \| ATAP \| Advanced Modeling Prog · Radiation Belt Environment Modeling

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

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).