TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescope
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- IL-13823
- Agency
-
Department of Energy
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 333310 Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing
- Place of performance
- Livermore, California, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operating under a Department of Energy contract, has issued a special notice seeking industry partners to collaborate on developing and commercializing its Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescope technology. This is a technology transfer opportunity, not a procurement, focused on LLNL's patented solid monolith telescope construction approach that enables high-performance, multi-aperture space telescopes at significantly reduced costs. The laboratory has developed a solution to scale solid monolithic telescope advantages to meter-scale and beyond through composite construction methods. The technology represents a paradigm shift in space telescope design by eliminating dynamic degrees of freedom and integrating all alignment-sensitive components into one static monolithic system. The folded Gregorian design offers advantages including cost reduction, greater robustness, and reduced size, weight, and power requirements for applications in national security, optical communications, astrophysics, and high-resolution space imagery.
The special notice requires interested companies to submit electronic or written statements of interest by August 28, 2025, demonstrating their ability to commercialize this Technology Readiness Level 2 invention. Companies must provide their name, address, point of contact information, and a description of corporate expertise or facilities relevant to commercializing this telescope technology. LLNL is specifically seeking industry partners with proven market development capabilities to help transition this critical technology from the laboratory to commercial applications. The technology is protected by existing patents and pending applications, with all licensing activities conducted under strict nondisclosure policies. Companies can submit responses electronically with the Notice ID in the subject line or send written statements to LLNL's Innovation and Partnerships Office, with the laboratory emphasizing that this collaboration opportunity aims to provide licensees with a competitive marketplace advantage.
Notice text
Opportunity:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescope.
Background:
LLNL developed a solid monolith telescope construction approach (U.S. Patent No. 9720223, IL-12599) that has driven a new paradigm for high-performance, multi-aperture space telescopes at previously unheard-of costs, mainly due to their intrinsic robustness. Unfortunately, solid monoliths mass becomes excessive beyond half-meter aperture, approaching 1000 kg at meter-scale. What is needed is a new construction approach to scale the advantages of solid monolithic telescopes to meter-scale and beyond.
Description:
The approach is to use foundational materials science, structural design, thermal analysis, optic fabrication, and space systems engineering, and to use optimize them through large-scale simulation to realize meter-scale telescopes at 10X cost reduction. LLNL’s folded Gregorian design integrates all alignment sensitive components into one static monolithic system. Like solid-monoliths, these composite monoliths eliminate all dynamic degrees of freedom. The entire assembly consists of (1) primary/secondary mirrors, (2) focal plane array, and an integrated Fold-Mirror strut.
Advantages/Benefits:
- Reduce costs by eliminating risk associated with high sensitivity optomechanical components.
- Greater robustness and reliability by eliminating high-precision mechanical structures.
- Reduce SWaP (size, weight and power) factors
Potential Applications:
- National security
- Free-space optical communications
- Astrophysics
- High-resolution space imagery
Development Status:
Current stage of technology development: TRL 2
LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.
Related patents:
U.S. Patent No. 9720223 Integrated Telescope Assembly published 8/1/2017
U.S. Patent Application No. 2024/0383798 Systems and Methods for Additively Manufacturing High Strength and Stiffness Fiber-Reinforced Inorganic Glass Composite Structures published 11/21/24
LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.
Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.
Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescopes should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:
- Company Name and address.
- The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
- A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.
Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescopes.
The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.
Written responses should be directed to:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Innovation and Partnerships Office
P.O. Box 808, L-779
Livermore, CA 94551-0808
Attention: IL-13823
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