SBIR/STTR Research Award
Rapid Response Small Launcher Technology
Award amount
$2,996,921Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IIAward year
2019Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Defense
- Branch
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Recipient company
- X-BOW LAUNCH SYSTEMS INC
- Proposal award date
- 2019-07-02
- Contract end date
- 2021-07-03
- UEI
- MD76AJXHCMQ5
- Solicitation number
- 17.3
- Topic code
- SB173-006
Research abstract
To meet DARPA’s specified needs, X-Bow (pronounced “Crossbow”) will infuse advanced manufacturing (AM) methods to produce its small launch vehicle. The vehicle will be capable of rapid and affordable on-demand launch of small payloads. There are ample commercially available opportunities to infuse automated and AM techniques into tanks, nozzles, and other mechanical components. However, there is no readily adaptable or commercial method for additively manufacturing solid propellant. Therefore, X-Bow Launch Systems will lead the development and commercialization of the capability to ‘print’ solid rocket motor propellant. This AM method will address and lower affordability hurdles of a solid-propellant launch system, while at the same time increase its responsiveness. The AM method will handle all principle solid propellant constituents ( Fuel, Oxidizer, Binder, Cure Agent, Plasticizer and other additives. The AM method will be prototyped built and demonstrated through a Full Scale integrated ground test of a 30" diameter small launch rocket motor.
Technology keywords
Not reported
Other awards by this recipient
Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.
- Enhance Tactical Solid Rocket Motor Development at X-Bow
- X-BOW Advanced Manufacturing (3D printing) and Sustainment of Solid Rocket Motors
- Additively Manufactured Solid Propellants (AMSP). X-BOW
- Rapid Response Small Launcher Technology
Awards with the same topic code
Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.
Research funding history
5 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (2018–2024). Reported award amounts total $19,581,398. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.
Phases: Phase II, Phase I, Phase II – Direct to Phase II
Agencies: Department of Defense
Contractor profile
Historical federal award activity, when published, is on that contractor profile. Matched by UEI only.
Agency intelligence
NAICS intelligence
This classification comes from the contractor profile, not from the SBIR award record.