SCOUT Space Inc. has been chosen by AFWERX to receive a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract worth $1.25 million. The focus of the project is to develop a flight software suite for critical space missions. The software will have autonomous, sensor-driven, multi-agent guidance and navigation capabilities that address the most urgent challenges faced by the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX have joined forces to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process. Their aim is to speed up the proposal to award timelines, expand opportunities for small businesses, and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles through continuous process improvement.

Since 2018, the DAF has been offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program to fund a wider range of innovations. SCOUT Space will now embark on creating and delivering innovative capabilities that will enhance the national defense of the United States of America.

According to Sergio Gallucci, Co-founder and CTO of SCOUT Space, their space-based sensing competencies align perfectly with the counterspace mission. Through this program, they plan to utilize their onboard autonomy capabilities to develop expandable flight software for safe collaborative operations. Their goal is to rely on data-based and inference-based decision-making, rather than explicit commands, in order to strengthen autonomy capabilities in the face of increasing risks in orbit.

Eric Ingram, Co-Founder and CEO of SCOUT Space, highlights the growing threats in the space domain. The development of this software and its capabilities is crucial to ensure the safety of critical space assets. This contract not only allows SCOUT to strengthen its relationship with government customers but also presents an opportunity to utilize their expertise for national security needs.