RTVAC: Rapid Target Vehicle Assembly and Checkout

The Missile Defense Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defense System verifies design performance by flight testing against live targets developed by MDA Targets and Countermeasures (TC) and the Air Force SMC/STP DET12 RSLP. TC’s success is measured by its ability to provide targets on schedule, cost, and within performance parameters. Within TC there is a need for low cost, rapid integration and test of target payloads. MicroSat Systems is incorporating a rapid, design-for-production philosophy into its small satellite products. It believes adopting this philosophy and electronics/IT innovations from the commercial personal computer and automotive industries will be the key to low cost, rapid spacecraft deployment. This same approach is directly applicable to target payload development currently being done by MDA TC/ STP DET 12 RSLP. MSI is proposing a revolutionary Rapid Target Vehicle Assembly and Checkout (RTVAC) architecture that will allow configuration, checkout, and deployment of target payloads within hours. At the heart of this architecture is the ability to define a small set of “core” vehicles tailorable to specific mission needs. This Phase 1 SBIR program will perform initial RTVAC process feasibility studies, leading edge technology assessment and perform proof-of-concept demonstrations. Phase 2 will develop a hardware/software testbed for validation.