Autonomous Space-Based Situational Awareness Software Development - Starling Mission Follow-On
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC) intends to issue a sole-source contract to EraDrive, Inc. for Autonomous Space-Based Situational Awareness Software Development for the Starling mission. This effort involves developing software upgrades for autonomous swarm space situational awareness and control for four 6U CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Interested organizations may submit capabilities by April 28, 2026.
Scope of Work
The contractor will develop and deliver software upgrades to enable:
- Autonomous swarm space situational awareness and control for four 6U CubeSats.
- Resident space object identification and tracking.
- Autonomous orbit determination.
- Swarm geometry maintenance and reconfiguration.
- Onboard conjunction assessment.
- Multi-satellite autonomous orbit determination using optical sensors. All software must execute autonomously on-orbit using existing CubeSat computational resources.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Presolicitation, intended Sole-Source (FAR 6.302-1)
- Product/Service Code: AJ12 (General Science And Technology R&D Services; Applied Research)
- Duration: Date of award through January 20, 2027
- Set-Aside: None (Sole-Source)
- Capabilities Due: April 28, 2026, by 5:00 PM PDT
- Published: April 13, 2026
- Place of Performance: Palo Alto, CA
Evaluation
NASA/ARC intends to award a sole-source contract to EraDrive, Inc. because they hold the proprietary EraDrive autonomy software currently integrated into and operating on the Starling CubeSats. No other source possesses the necessary technical data, codebase, or institutional knowledge to perform this effort within the available performance window. Submissions from interested organizations will be evaluated solely to determine if a competitive acquisition is feasible, which remains at the Government's discretion.
Additional Notes
The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial product or service using FAR Part 12. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. Contact Joshua Taggart at joshua.d.taggart@nasa.gov for submissions.