Muon Space, an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates mission-tailored low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, announced today that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract by SpaceWERX through Space Systems Command (SSC) to advance space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM) capabilities. This award will support Muon Space's development of a multi-mission, multispectral Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) instrument aimed at filling critical data gaps with applications for both Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial use.
The advanced EO/IR instrument will provide comprehensive cloud characterization and theater weather imagery, addressing the number one and two priority gaps in SBEM identified by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). These capabilities are essential for global defense and national security operations, where real-time, accurate environmental data can be the difference between mission success and failure.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and SpaceWERX the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now Muon Space will continue its journey to create and provide innovative EO/IR cloud characterization capabilities.
This project exemplifies the core mission of the SBIR program, which is to foster innovation by providing non-dilutive funding to small businesses that can develop critical technologies for commercialization. By evolving its FireSat architecture into a dual-use SBEM Variant, Muon Space is not only fulfilling the immediate needs of the DoD, but also laying the groundwork for broader commercial applications that align with its mission of delivering Earth intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.
