Atch 1 to CSS RFI_Summary Response Template.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 22 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 10302026-01
- Issued by
-
Department of the Air Force
About this file
This is a Response Template and Requirements Compliance document for the Department of the Air Force's Request for Information (RFI) for a Cislunar Space System (CSS). The template is designed to guide contractors in structuring their responses to the RFI and includes detailed technical and performance requirements that must be addressed. The template covers six major segments: Requirements Compliance (Sections 4.1-4.9), System Information (Questions A1-A5), Space Segment (Questions B6-B20), Ground Segment (Questions C12-C15), Communication Segment (Question D16), Launch Segment Integration (Questions E17-E19), and Interfaces (Question F20).
The CSS consists of up to five space vehicles to be delivered by late CY29, each requiring a spacecraft bus with a 3-year minimum design life (5-year objective) with 0.6 reliability, payload capacity of 2,000 kilograms and 3m x 1m x 1m dimensions (1 kilowatt threshold/3 kilowatt objective power), autonomous operation capability for 72 hours, three-axis stabilization with 6-DOF thruster control, cislunar domain operational capability, and NSA Type-I encryption. The template requires contractors to address the proposed bus design based on existing cislunar-qualified designs, production facilities and personnel capabilities, flight heritage within the past three years, assembly/integration and test timelines, ground segment command and control and mission planning capabilities, communications approach, launch vehicle integration strategy, and modular payload-to-bus interface approach. Responses must include rough order of magnitude cost estimates structured as Firm Fixed Price, schedule details supporting deliveries in Q3CY29 through Q3CY31, and identification of Government-furnished items and technical assumptions.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| (U) CSS RFI_2026_11_03_Final v2.pdf | ||
| (U) CSS RFI_2026_10_30 Final.pdf |
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Text version
Requirements Compliance
UNCLASSIFIED
| RFI Section | Technical / Performance Area | Technical/Performance Objective | Contractor Response Short Summary | Section or Page of Contractor's RFI Response with More Information |
| 4.1 | Design Life (including on-orbit checkout) | a. Threshold: 3 years with 0.6 reliability and adequate expendables/wear-out |
resources to support five years of mission;
| b. Objective: 5 years with 0.6 reliability. | Example: Compliant to 3 year requirement. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 4.2 | Operating Regime | Throughout cislunar space to include Earth-Moon transfers, libration point orbits, resonant orbits, and low energy transfer trajectories to Sun-Earth L1/L2. | Example: Compliant to cislunar requirement. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 4.3 | Operating Modes | a. Autonomous operation for at least 72 hours; |
b. Safe mode capability;
c. Delta-V for orbit maintenance;
| d. End of life disposal capability, compliant with Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices. | Example: Compliant with operating modes. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 4.4 | Payload Capacity | Support hosted payloads on each SV with the following |
parameters:
a. Total Payload Mass (NTE): 2,000 kg;
b. Payload Dimensions (NTE):
i. Length: 3m;
ii. Height: 1m;
| iii. Width: 1m | Example: Compliant. Mass capacity of 3,000 kg and Volume capacity of 3m x 3m x 2 m. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 4.5 | Payload Power | a. (U) Threshold: 1 kW; | ||||
| b. (U) Objective: 3 kW. | Example: 3 kW power available. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 4.6 | Data Handling and Storage | Support standard space data interfaces and provide onboard data storage for payload mission data. | Example: Compliant with data handling and storage requirements. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 4.7 | Guidance, Navigation, and Control | a. Three-axis stabilization; |
b. 6-DOF thruster control;
c. Propulsive maneuverability to support cislunar orbit transfer, orbit insertions, and
| regular orbit station keeping. | Example: Compliant with GNC requirements. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 4.8 | Communications | Robust and reliable narrowband (TT&C) and wideband (mission) communication capabilities. System may leverage existing government or commercial capabilities. | Example: Compliant with comm requirements. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 4.9 | Cybersecurity | Implementation of NSA Type-I encryption/decryption. | Example: Compliant with cybersecurity requirements. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| UNCLASSIFIED |
RFI Responses
| UNCLASSIFIED | ||||
| RFI Question | Technical / Performance Area | Technical/Performance Objective | Contractor Response Short Summary | Section or Page of Contractor's RFI Response with More Information |
| A | System | |||
| 1 | Company Information | a. (U) Company name; |
b. (U) A primary and secondary Point of Contact (POC) for the company, to include name, telephone number, and email address to coordinate any additional communication;
c. (U) Submittal date for the CSS RFI response. Example: ABC Space Systems, Inc.
Joe Doe, XXX-XXX-XXXX, johndoe@abcspace.com
| Jane Doe, XXX-XXX-XXXX, janedoe@abcspace.com | Example: Page X or Section X. | |||
| 2 | Cislunar Domain Expertise | Description of recent (within the past three (3) years) relevant respondent, or respondent team, cislunar domain expertise. Description of relevant respondent, or respondent team experience with managing the development of classified space systems for the Government. Relevant capabilities include: |
a. Program Management - Project planning and scheduling, risk management frameworks, cost estimation and control, supply chain and vendor management;
b. Mission and Systems Engineering - Requirements management, interface control, design review processes, verification/validation, and documentation;
| c. Information Systems - Product lifecycle management software, requirements management tools, secure data handling for classified information; | Example: Supplied space vehicle for ABC cislunar mission. 20 years of experience delivering Government classified systems. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 3 | CSS Approach | The proposed approach for the CSS that will meet the Government specified objectives. Provide details on the planned fielding plan, such as number of integrated SVs per launch, and the production ramp rate. Identify risks to meeting these requirements, and describe strategies for addressing the risks. | Example: Anticipate 2 SVs per launch vehicle. Current unused production capacity is 2 SVs per year. Capital investments planned/required to ramp to 4 SVs per year. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 4 | Schedule | A credible, high-level schedule that supports the Government schedule objectives as outlined above. Assume Authority to Proceed (ATP) for preliminary design work will be in 2QFY27. | Example: Schedule supports delivery of a total of 5 SVs in Q3CY29, Q1CY30, Q3CY30, Q1CY31, and Q3CY31. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 5 | ROM Cost Estimate | A Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for the System that includes: |
a. Description of scope that is included;
b. Ability to execute the scope as a FFP contract;
c. High-level price breakout of NRE/RE by Government Fiscal Year (FY), to include a breakout by Space Segment, Ground Segment, communication solution, launch segment integration, and on-orbit initialization;
d. Assume ATP for preliminary design will be provided in 2QFY27 and ATP for the critical design and production will be provided after completion of PDR;
e. List of anticipated Government Furnished items (GFx), if any, including a statement confirming that the owning Government organization is willing to provide the specified GFx;
| f. Complete list of assumptions. The assumptions should include use of the respondent or respondent team command media/commercial standards. | Example: $XXM for 5 SVs ($XXM NRE, $XXM RE) | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| B | Space Segment | |||
| 6 | SV Production Facilities, Infrastructure & Personnel | Description of respondent or respondent team existing production facilities, infrastructure, and personnel that demonstrates a credible capability to design, manufacture, integrate, and test the Space Segment. Include a description of on-going and/or planned capital investments. Relevant capabilities include: |
a. Engineering Expertise - Core disciplines (mechanical, electrical, systems, thermal and software engineering), specialized knowledge (specialty analysis, design standards knowledge, launch vehicle integration requirements), and specialized subsystem capabilities (separation/deployment systems, electrical integration);
b. Workforce Capabilities - Qualified personnel (certified technicians, engineers with space vehicle heritage, quality inspectors, test engineers, safety officers);
c. Technical Infrastructure - Manufacturing facilities (clean manufacturing areas, integration halls with adequate floor space, secure areas for sensitive hardware), manufacturing infrastructure (metalworking capabilities, advanced manufacturing, surface treatment, materials management), tools/equipment (contamination control systems, ESD-protection, specialized tooling), and support spaces (material storage, engineering offices);
| d. Testing and Verification - Structural testing, environmental testing, functional testing, relationships with testing service providers (if needed). | Example: XXX,XXX sq. ft facility with capacity to produce XX SVs per year, XXX cleared employees | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 7 | Bus Design & Approach | Description of the bus to be used to include the planned bus provider and approach to accomplish the production rate required to meet schedule objectives. Note that the proposed bus design must be based on an existing cislunar-qualified bus design that is available for procurement and that the respondent or respondent team has integrated and has either flown within the past three (3) years or has been/will be through System-Level Assembly, Integration and Test (AI&T) within the next twenty-four (24) months. Provide details on the expected bus performance relative to the Government technical objectives. | Example: Propose ABC3000 Bus with modifications | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 8 | PNT | Description of planned approach for cislunar Pointing, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), including a discussion of respondent or respondent team experience using that approach. | ||||
| 9 | Bus Flight Heritage | Details of the bus's recent (within the past 3 years) flight heritage that support the demonstrated full functionality of the bus over its projected design life. Describe heritage relative to an existing commercial/non-developmental bus design to demonstrate maximum reuse with minimal modifications. | Example: >XX% of Bus subsystems have flight heritage in a cislunar environment. Work on XXX and XXX subsystems required to mature capability to cislunar space. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 10 | SV AI&T, Calibration & Initialization Approach | Description of the planned approach for SV AI&T, calibration, and on-orbit initialization consistent with the Government schedule objectives. Provide proven timelines from relevant SV integration efforts that demonstrate a credible capability to scale production to meet the Government notional FOC schedule objective. Include a description of respondent or respondent team recent (within the past three (3) years) experience with designing, building and initializing multiple space vehicles on a short timeline. | Example: Plan to integrate buses and payloads on 6 month centers at XYZ SV integration facility. Assume unclassified Bus and SV AI&T. Integration timelines are based on recent experience with XYZ program. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 11 | Artificial Intelligence Experience | Discuss respondent or respondent team experience with using Artificial Intelligence to manage autonomous SV operations over extended durations. Include a discussion of the on-board compute and storage requirements needed to implement an AI managed autonomous operations capability. | Example: Experience witih autonomous SV operations for fault scenarios. Ongoing IR&D to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to ground system mission planning and scheduling. No experience with use of AI for onboard autonomous operations. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| C | Ground Segment | |||||
| 12 | Ground Facilities, Infrastructure & Personnel | Description of respondent or respondent team existing facilities, infrastructure, and personnel that demonstrate a credible capability to design, integrate, and test the Ground Segment. Include a description of on-going or planned capital investments. Relevant capabilities include: |
a. Engineering Expertise - System architecture and design (end-to-end design, network topology, redundancy planning), communication systems (antenna integration, spectrum management), data processing (data pipelines, storage/archive, cloud integration), cybersecurity, and software development (integration, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), automation, DevOps);
b. Technical Infrastructure - Any existing Ground infrastructure, such as processing and control locations and contractor ground entry points, which could be leveraged for the multi-SV CSS.
c. Testing & Commissioning - End-to-end testing, performance validation, and operational readiness;
| d. Operations Support - Training, documentation, maintenance, and lifecycle sustainment. | Example: Extensive Ground engineering, testing & commissioning, and operations expertise. Existing Ground infrastrastructure (C2 location and ground terminals) currently used on ABC program can be leveraged for CSS. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 13 | C2 & MPS Approach | Description of the planned ground segment approach for C2 and MPS of a multi-SV system. Include a description of any cloud hosting requirements and/or mission unique ground hardware. Include a description of respondent or respondent team relevant experience with C2 and MPS of multi-SV systems. | Example: ABC Space Systems will partner with XYZ Ground Systems for C2 and MPS. XYZ Ground Systems has extensive experience managing proliferated constellations. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 14 | Data Processing Approach | Description of planned approach for data processing. Include a description of respondent or respondent team relevant experience with developing and fielding processing solutions for multi-SV systems. | Example: Have hosted processing solutions on contractor and Government, on-premise and Cloud-based architectures. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 15 | O&M Approach | Description of the planned approach for O&M of the System. Include a description of respondent or respondent team experience with O&M of multi-SV systems. | Example: Currently supporting O&M for ABC and DEF multi-SV systems. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| D | Communication Segment | |||||
| 16 | Comm Approach | Description of the planned communications approach for meeting operationally responsive tasking and delivery timelines. Include a description of respondent or respondent team relevant experience with developing/acquiring and operating or interfacing with a communications system to meet operationally responsive cislunar timelines. | Example: Lasercomm mesh network, Existing gateways and SATOPS, S-band TT&C. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| E | Launch Segment Integration | |||||
| 17 | Launch Facilities, Infrastructure & Personnel | Description of respondent or respondent team existing facilities, infrastructure, and personnel that demonstrates a credible capability for meeting Government schedule objectives. Include a description of on-going or planned capital investments. Relevant capabilities include: |
a. Engineering Expertise - Launch vehicle specific adapter design, orbit injection and separation dynamics;
b. Workforce Capabilities -Transportation and logistics for spacecraft shipping and ground support equipment management; working within range-specific rules and flight termination requirements; and executing the precise sequence of encapsulation, mating, fueling, and countdown operations;
c. Technical Infrastructure - Any existing facilities and infrastructure for storage and launch integration, which could be leveraged for the CSS;
| d. Testing and Verification - Launch environment qualification for ascent acoustics, vibration, shock and rapid pressure/thermal transients. | Example: Substantial experience coordinating with NSSL launch providers on launch integration requirements. Company owned facilities at Cape can be used for CSS storage and launch integration. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| 18 | Launch Integration Approach | Description of the planned approach for integration of the space vehicles on a government-provided National Security Space Launch (NSSL) booster, including: |
a. Any caveats or restrictions precluding open competition of NSSL launches dedicated to the identified approach;
| b. If multiple vehicles are planned per launch, provide a description of a launch adapter compatible with at least one NSSL provider; | Example: Plan to integrate on ABC launch adapter, which is compatible with all NSSL providers. No restrictions precluding open competition of NSSL launches. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||||
| 19 | Concept Drawings | Concept drawings that illustrate the bus form factor and fairing packing efficiency, i.e., how the payload could be mounted to the space vehicle and how multiple integrated space vehicles could be arranged for launch. | Example: 2 SVs oriented vertically and vertically stacked in fairing. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| F | Interfaces | |||||
| 20 | Interface Approach | Description of potential approaches for achieving a modular payload-to-bus interface. | Example: Will employ modular bus-to-payload interfaces co-designed with commercial bus providers, leveraging ABC Space Systems expertise in XXX. | Example: Page X or Section X. | ||
| UNCLASSIFIED |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .