Open Call for Innovative Defense-Related Dual-Purpose Technologies/Solutions with a Clear Air Force Stakeholder Need

Rapidly evolving threats from our adversaries drives the need for the U.S. to more swiftly develop, test, and deploy new space system technologies. Kubos is therefore proposing to develop a spacecraft (S/C) software (S/W) architecture—using a tailored version of Kubos commercial products on the market today—that enables S/C in orbit to be used as operational platforms to test and deploy S/W technologies in development. The hosted software applications (Hosted Apps) are run in parallel with existing mission S/W using excess on-board processing capabilities. Additional data products are generated by running Hosted Apps that execute alternate algorithms with on-board sensor data without impacting or increasing risk to the primary mission. These Hosted Apps can be uploaded from the S/C without taking the asset off-line. The new products the Hosted Apps produce are stored in partitioned segments of S/C memory and can be downlinked with the primary mission data, or to alternate ground sites. This capability enables technology developers to develop; quickly upload and test; and when mature, deploy new software technologies in space using existing spacecraft; greatly improving the resiliency and utility of the S/C and reducing the development time for critical technologies from years to months.