Muon Space, a leading provider of end-to-end space systems specializing in mission-optimized satellite constellations, announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II (D2P2) contract by SpaceWERX to support the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) efforts to enhance missile warning and tracking (MW/MT) capabilities in low Earth orbit.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded, and now Muon will continue its journey to provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
Under this award, Muon will develop a novel variant of its multispectral electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) payload for SDA. Muon’s solution leverages its proven Quickbeam™ scanning payload architecture, originally designed for global thermal detection, and adapts it for high-sensitivity MW/MT applications with enhanced resilience and cost-effectiveness.
“This Direct to Phase II SBIR award validates our approach of adapting proven commercial space technology for critical defense applications,” said Jonny Dyer, CEO of Muon Space. “Our Quickbeam payload has already demonstrated its effectiveness in global thermal detection, and now we’re excited to enhance it for missile warning and tracking missions. By leveraging commercial innovation and our scalable platform architecture, we can deliver enhanced resilience and cost-effectiveness to SDA.”
Muon’s payload will feature advanced infrared sensing capabilities and a dynamic scanning architecture designed to mitigate emerging threats. By leveraging commercially available detector technologies with faster production timelines, the system enhances resilience and improves overall deliverability.
Key enhancements under this contract include tuning the sensor architecture for improved performance in key spectral bands and optimizing filter design for mission-specific needs. Muon’s scalable XL-class platform can accommodate multiple sensors, enabling near-persistent global coverage at lower cost and risk compared to traditional systems. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
