Muon Space, an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates mission-tailored low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, has officially confirmed the news of securing a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from SpaceWERX through Space Systems Command (SSC)
According to certain reports, the stated contract will allow Muon to leverage its proprietary technology for the purpose of advancing space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM) capabilities.
More on the same would reveal how this award will support Muon Space’s development of a multi-mission, multispectral Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) instrument, which is designed to fill critical data gaps with applications for both Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial use.
This advanced EO/IR instrument will provide comprehensive cloud characterization and theater weather imagery to address the number one and two priority gaps in SBEM, as identified by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account how the stated capabilities, on their part, are essential for global defense and national security operations, where real-time, accurate environmental data can be the difference between mission success and failure.
“This award accelerates Muon’s development of a dual-use instrument that will serve both the DoD’s SBEM needs and our commercial wildfire monitoring mission, FireSat,” said Gregory Smirin, President of Muon Space. “By evolving our FireSat infrared instrument to include additional spectral bands, we can observe cloud cover as well as wildfires, creating a highly versatile instrument that can serve multiple markets.”
Another detail worth a mention here is how the given contract comes after Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and SpaceWERX the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX announced a partnership. This partnership focuses on streamlining the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process. It will achieve that by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines. It will also shake up the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business, as well as eliminate bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.
Anyway, we must also mention that Muon’s builds upon the driving mission of SBIR program, which is to foster innovation through non-dilutive funding to small businesses, helping them develop critical technologies for commercialization and government use.
Hence, under the current scenario, Muon will transition its FireSat architecture into a dual-use SBEM Variant to meet the immediate needs of DoD. It will also set up the stage for broader commercial applications that align with its mission of delivering Earth intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.
Founded in 2021, Muon Space’s rise up ranks stems from its mission to launch a new generation of smallsats and sensors to monitor Earth’s climate and ecosystems with unprecedented fidelity. The company’s vertically integrated simulation, hardware and software stack is currently focused on accelerating customers’ time-to-market from concept formulation through launch and to scaled operations. Furthermore, its state-of-the-art facility is also understood to be optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration at scale.
“The ability to forecast weather globally, 24/7, in austere and denied environments is crucial for our mission readiness,” said Christine Fox, former Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense and member of Muon’s Board of Directors. “The EO/IR instrument developed by Muon Space offers a path to achieving that capability faster and more affordably than previously possible.”
