WORLDTECHNASA Picks Three Firms for Ka-Band Relay Concepts
Full credit
File:Blue Marble Western Hemisphere.jpg / NASA images by Reto Stöckli, based on data from NASA and NOAA. Instrument: Terra - MODIS / Earth Observatory: Twin Blue Marbles / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Marble_Western_Hemisphere.jpgSource page
NASA has chosen three companies to develop Ka-band relay concepts for space communications, a move tied to shifting parts of its network toward commercial services. The agency announced the awards in its own news release.
Concepts for spacecraft already in orbit
The three companies will work on relay concepts that are compatible with NASA missions currently in space. According to the agency, the approach would keep service running for existing spacecraft without requiring changes to their onboard systems.
The work is managed through the Communications Services Project of NASA's Space Communications and Navigation program, under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 Broad Agency Announcement, Appendix E.
Moving away from the relay satellite fleet
The awards support NASA's decision to retire its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite fleet gradually and to adopt commercial services for future missions. NASA says Ka-band services remain necessary for select in-orbit missions that cannot practically modify their flight hardware or switch to commercial services that are incompatible with it.
NASA also notes that the commercial capabilities being developed by its industry partners are expected to meet much of the demand, with Ka-band services covering the remainder.
Contract structure and timeline
The awards are firm-fixed-price contracts. They give NASA the option to add funding up to the award limit, which would allow the work to progress from early concept development and risk reduction to an in-orbit flight demonstration.
The initial period of performance runs through May 3, 2027, and additional priced options would extend work through 2029. Astranis Space Technologies Corp. is one of the named awardees, and NASA's release lists its maximum potential value including all future options.
Open questions
- Which two companies besides Astranis Space Technologies Corp. were selected?
- Will NASA exercise the options to carry the work through to an in-orbit flight demonstration?