The U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile System Center (SMC) has released a Request for Information (RFI) to learn more about industry’s innovative developments in launch, on-orbit maneuverability, and commodity transport architectures for on-orbit servicing.

SMC will use this information to assess if and how it can leverage such capabilities to satisfy National Security Space operational requirements in contested space environments.

This industry engagement will support the National Security Launch Architecture study, which began in early October, and will inform development initiatives in experimental, small, and medium/heavy space lift capability.  Ultimately, the NSLA study will help define launch capability requirements for future launch service procurements under the National Security Space Launch program.

To sustain the competitive environment developed through the Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement strategy, the National Security Space Launch program has planned an investment line leading into the Phase 3 Launch Services Procurement.

Colonel Russell Teehan, SMC’s Portfolio Architect, who leads this study, stated that SMC strives to deliver an integrated open space architecture, able to rapidly on-board Allied, commercial and mission partner capabilities and advanced technologies at the speed required to outpace the threat, that enables multi-domain coalition architectures.

Colonel Robert Bongiovi, Director of SMC’s Launch Enterprise, add that this NSLA study will inform future investments to guarantee Phase 3 delivers the launch capabilities essential to National Security.

The first NSLA Industry Day will be held in early December — additional details will be released when available.

To view the National Security Launch Architecture RFI, please access this direct infolink...