university consortium research opportunity

UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY

PRE-SOLICITATION INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR

UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION

24 September 20211:30 pm CDT

AGENDA Questions entered in the Q&A feature during the webinar and submitted to the mailbox will be reviewed by program administration.

Please include your name and email address with your question.

Questions and responses will be anonymouslyposted on our website: https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/urep.

Attendees who experience technical issues during the webinar may use the Q&A for assistance.

Welcome University Consortium Research Opportunity Research Topics Letter of Intent Requirements Submission Process Award Process Timeline

3Universities Space Research Association

https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/urep


In conjunction with the Hyperspace Challenge, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Universities Space Research Association (USRA) will release a United States Space Force (USSF) funded research opportunity early fall 2021.

Universities can apply for funding for two years to address one of several critical research areas identified by the USSF.

This opportunity was designed to engage institutions of higher education through the facilitation of AFRL research that leads to the continued advancement of the USSF.

This opportunity aims to provide undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellows with authentic research opportunities to stimulate interest and improve retention in STEM careers within AFRL.

Colleges and universities interested in pursuing this opportunity should propose innovative solutions to address the critical research areas outlined in this webinar.Please note: The RFP is intended to be

released 30 Sept. – 8 Oct. 2021. Check our website for up-to-date info.

RESEARCH TOPICS

Leveraging Microgravity for

Military/Commercial Applications &

Products

On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing

Quantum Sensing for Location and EM Field Detection

Rapid Initial Orbit Determination

Rocket Cargo Technology for Agile

Global Statistics

Smart Sensing and Machine learning for

Ground Based Remote Sensing of

Satellites


RESEARCH TOPIC ONE

Leveraging Microgravity for Military/Commercial Applications & Products

The recent explosive growth in the satellite and launch industries has led to a corresponding increase in microgravity processing interest and opportunities (e.g. Virgin Galactic, International Space Station commercial opportunities, etc.).

A host of commercial entities are now actively exploring uses of the microgravity environment in near-Earth orbit for commercial product applications, many of which have joint military applications.

This topic will explore both potential dual use commercial/military microgravity products, as well as the fundamental science underpinning the microgravity processing environment.


RESEARCH TOPIC TWOOn-Orbit

Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing The rapid increase in commercial and government

investment has created a space domain that is ever growing in complexity.

A key problem is how best to manage costs with limited launch capabilities and spacecraft lifetimes.

One possible solution would be to use autonomous robotic spacecraft to perform work on spacecraft in situ.

This would include duties such as on-orbit inspection, repair, functional upgrades, refueling and decommissioning/de-orbiting.


RESEARCH TOPIC THREE

Quantum Sensing for

Location and EM Field Detection

Quantum sensors can provide location information in environments where GPS signals are not available (e.g. underground, underwater, or in denied locations), and can detect electric and magnetic fields with high sensitivity to receive signals or detect other activity.

How can we apply these capabilities in military, space, and other arenas?


RESEARCH TOPIC FOUR

Rapid Initial Orbit

Determination

As the economic value of space assets in GEO increases, it is critically important to ensure flight safety by rapidly determining the orbits of newly detected debris objects.

While passive optical sensors routinely provide angles-only data to the Space Surveillance Network, augmenting current systems with range and range-rate information is one way to speed up the initial orbit determination process.


RESEARCH TOPIC FIVERocket Cargo Technology for

Agile Global Statistics

The U.S. Department of the Air Force is determining the viability and utility of using large commercial rockets for Department of Defense global logistics. We are interested in solutions to improve our ability to:

1. air drop cargo from the rocket after re-entry in order to service locations where a rocket or aircraft cannot possibly land.

2. develop intermodal cargo containers that are mass-optimized for space launch,

3. engineer a rocket cargo bay and logistics for rapid loading and unloading.


RESEARCH TOPIC SIX

Smart Sensing and Machine learning for

Ground Based Remote Sensing of

Satellites

Space domain awareness requires advanced sensing, data processing, and algorithms. Such sensing requires large amounts of data collection, which in turn requires automated

reduction of data to highlight for a space guardian the most relevant activities in space. The emergent areas of investigation into smart sensing machine learning for automated

reduction of data are areas that could potentially revolutionize how ground-based remote sensing of satellites and space debris is accomplished.


WHAT TO EXPECT

Up to a two-year effort contingent on performance

Proposals up to $350k for two years

Substantial student involvement Prepare to explain how students will be involved Undergraduates and graduates Involve students in enrichment activities conducted by

USRA and the AFRL Scholars Program

Reporting deliverables are required. Details will be available in solicitation.

Highly competitive process. Proposals will be evaluated by external panel of subject matter experts (SMEs).

AFRL Scholars will support two students from your institution for a summer internship.


LETTER OF INTENT REQUIREMENTS Prior to submitting a proposal, interested institutions are required to submit a Letter of Intent to USRA.

Letters of intent will be accepted after the Request for Proposal is released, and due on or before 12pm CDT, 15 October 2021 through the USRA Secure File Transfer Site: https://transfer.hou.usra.edu/filedrop/UREP. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Letters should be no more than one page and include the following: Name and title of PI and co-PI Institution Name Descriptive title of the research topic Description of the proposed effort to include but not limited to:

Summary of how the proposed effort meets the University Consortium Research Opportunity goals and objectives as described in the solicitation statement of work (SOW).

Rationale for proposed effort. Details of how the success of the proposed effort will be met and the recipient’s capacities to achieve success in

the proposed effort. Proposed period of performance. Administrative/business contact (name, address, phone, email address). Limit word count to 500, single-space, one-inch margins, 12-point Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman font. Should be signed by the authorized organizational representative to bind the institution


The RFP is intended to be released 30 Sept. – 8 Oct. Check our website for up-to-date info.

https://transfer.hou.usra.edu/filedrop/UREP

mailto:[email protected]

UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND AWARD PROCESS

We anticipate eligibility requirements for this funding opportunity to include, but may not be limited to:

U.S. accredited, public and private institutions of higher education only.

Principal investigators and co-investigators must be U.S. citizens.

Work must be conducted in the U.S.

Submit letter of intent.

Receive written notification from USRA to submit full proposal. Tentatively due 30 Nov. 2021.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will evaluate proposals and provide feedback to a government selection panel.


UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY ANTICIPATED TIMELINE

Solicitation Announcement 30 Sept. 2021 (tentative)

Letter of Intent Due 15 Oct. 2021 (12pm CDT)

Proposals Due 30 Nov. 2021 (tentative)

15

Subagreements Awarded Feb. 2022 (tentative)

Universities Space Research Association

QUESTIONS?

Questions entered in the Q&A feature during the webinar and submitted to the mailbox will be reviewed by program administration. Please include your name and email address with your question. Questions and responses will be posted anonymously on our

website: https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/urep.

If you would like to be on our distribution list, sign up here.

Contact [email protected] with any questions.


https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/urep

https://rb.gy/dfhyol

mailto:[email protected]

university consortium research opportunity

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