U.S. Space Force taps 12 firms for $237 million small-satellite procurement

The U.S. Space Force has opted for 12 corporations to fulfill a decade-long, **$237 million** agreement focused on the creation and **launch of diminutive satellites**. This procurement strategy targets **enhanced military space innovation** by tapping into **industrial advancements** in the **commercial sector**.

Space Test Experiments Platform (STEP) 2.0

The **Space Test Experiments Platform (STEP) 2.0 initiative** falls under the umbrella of the Department of Defense’s **Space Test Program (STP)**. Managed by the Space Force’s Space Systems Command, the **indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract** invites chosen vendors to **bid on various task orders** for the production of **satellite buses**. These modular spacecraft are **designed to house experimental payloads**.

Details of STEP 2.0

The request for proposals for STEP 2.0 was issued in July 2024, with the selected firms announced May 1. The recipients encompass prominent defense and aerospace enterprises, as well as specialized **space technology companies**.

• Lockheed Martin Corp.
• General Atomics
• Blue Canyon Technologies
• Loft Orbital Federal
• Spire Global
• Terran Orbital
• York Space Systems
• Axient
• Lynk Global
• Orbit Systems
• Turion Space
• Space Dynamics Lab (affiliated with Utah State University)

Program Objectives

“The **DoD Space Test Program** will **derive substantial benefits** from harnessing industrial expertise and capabilities to **deliver dependable spacecraft**. These spacecraft will **host the DoD’s next-generation space technologies**,” stated Lt. Col. Brian Shimek, director of the **DoD Space Test Program**.

The Strategic Importance of STEP 2.0

Primarily, STEP 2.0 is poised to **update the government’s capacity** to test **new space systems** through collaboration with the **commercial small satellite industry**.

Rationale Behind the Contract

The chosen corporations will **produce and install small satellite buses** capable of accommodating a range of **military research projects and sensors**. These buses, often **comparable in size to a microwave or small refrigerator**, **function as standardized platforms** that can be modified to transport various **experimental payloads**.

The **Space Test Program** **assists in validating technologies** before their **broad-scale deployment**. However, **previous missions** have encountered **setbacks** due to **mispalength of experimental payloads** and **available launch windows**.

STEP 2.0 **seeks to expedite this procedure** by securing a reliable supply chain of commercial spacecraft and consolidating multiple experiments onto individual small satellites for **commercial rideshare launches**. The program also supports experiments on the **International Space Station**, providing access to the **microgravity environment** for various research endeavors.