OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Space Platform; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to preform analysis, concept exploration, application development, test and evaluation, and prototype integration to enable rapid launch of commercial rocket capabilities and support the US Space Force (USSF) goal to quickly transport materials to any point on the globe. DESCRIPTION: Emerging commercial rocket capabilities present a unique opportunity for the USSF to quickly transport materials (and people) to any point on the earth and fundamentally change how the Department of Defense (DoD) preforms logistical operations. While it has been demonstrated that these rockets can quickly get to any point on the earth, the amount of time necessary to prep a rocket for launch and obtain regulatory approvals for launch is still undesirable. This topic seeks to address head-on, the historical processes and procedures that can take months to enable a rocket to launch. The diametrically opposed state of months of planning with rapid launch needs to be congruent rapid planning with rapid launch . Efforts under RAAILL can be broken down into three areas: 1. Ground, launch and landing operations, 2. Mission Planning, and 3. Logistics and Readiness. Ground, launch and landing operations should include both pre-flight and post flight aspects. Mission planning should include areas such as mission design, range control, airspace de-confliction and weather prediction and mitigation. Logistics and readiness should include areas such as command and control (C2) scheduling, launch schedule de-confliction, materiel distribution and maintenance and training and exercises. There are various scenarios where insertion of rapid techniques and process may differ. First, there is the capability for responsive 1-way rocket cargo delivery to austere sites. These austere sites have no on-site rocket capability to unload or have a booster needed to return the rocket to a different port. Responsive 1-way scenarios may be in response to disaster or humanitarian relief efforts and response times could be on the order of less than 60 minutes flight and within 48 hours of executive orders. Second is the capability for routine 2-way logistics between CONUS and OCONUS launch sites. These launch sites are, in-general already established and have ground operations for loading and unloading with existing commercial logistics processes. A third area is airdrop. This a totally new area where cargo is ejected from a rocket cargo platform and is delivered specific locations. Airdrop may include subsonic or supersonic payload deployment of small or large payloads. Supersonic payload deployment may include egress burn to land safely downrange and subsonic may be expendable. Rocket cargo platforms may need modification to accommodate DoD unique cargo interfaces. The goal of this effort is to develop, demonstrate and integrate rapid logistic processes, tools, and applications specific to USSF needs. These efforts could be new or modification of existing systems and processes. An objective of this effort is to grow AFRL's Rocket Cargo industrial base. This topic is intended to reach companies capable of completing a feasibility study and prototype validated concepts under accelerated Phase I and II type schedules. This topic is aimed at later stage research and development efforts rather than front-end or basic research/research and development. The focus is on emerging commercial capabilities to minimize cost and enable rapid logistics through the entire span of responsive mission planning, cargo logistics, ground launch operations and coordination with commercial airspace. The main deliverables will be modeling and simulation, software applications, process development, Test and Evaluation of concepts that advance the ability to rapidly launch rocket cargo platforms. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. Relevant areas of demonstrated experience and success include: M&S, cost benefit analysis, risk analysis, software application development, concept development, concept demonstration and concept evaluation, laboratory experimentation and field testing. Phase I type efforts include the assessment of existing systems and processes required for launch of rocket platforms. Phase I efforts would include the modification of existing software applications and tools demonstrating techniques to reduced time to plan and execute missions whether specific to commercial or the DoD. Phase 1 type efforts would also include the understanding of current regulatory process and organizations required for launch of rocket systems to space with proposed ways-forward to reduce bureaucratic oversight and regulatory burden. PHASE II: Eligibility for a Direct to Phase Two (D2P2) is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR/STTR Programs. These efforts will include M&S, simulation of prototype concepts, cost benefit analysis, system-of-systems studies, software application and tool development, experimentation and evaluation of rapid concepts that enable quick transport of DoD material to ports across the globe. Prototypes, applications, Modeling and Simulation and experimentation should explore a wide range of rapid concepts that can be used for cargo transport on commercial rocket capabilities. Cargo could include the need to transport personnel which might require separate and distinct systems and process for rapid launch. Systems, processes and applications for quick and responsive ground operations, flight de-confliction, regulatory department notification and coordination, and all-weather launch are just some of the areas to be considered under RAAILL. Rapid concepts should consider areas that are unique to military logistics such as mission planning and execution, transportation of quick reaction forces/humans, munitions, fuel, ground operations, loading and unloading of cargo and transportation of unloaded cargo other remote locations. Phase II efforts shall conduct analysis, Modeling and Simulation and experimentation to address military-unique requirements that may not be otherwise met by commercial systems used during space transport. No funding will be invested in developing commercial rocket systems. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III shall include upgrades to the analysis, Modeling and Simulation, applications and tools, Test and Evaluation results and provide mature prototypes of system concepts. Phase III shall provide a business plan and address the ability to transition technology and system concepts to commercial applications. The adapted non-Defense commercial solutions shall provide expanded mission capability for a broad range of potential Governmental and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Integration and other technical support to operational users may be required. REFERENCES: Office of Commercial Space Transport, www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/ ; J. Bresina, P. Morris, Mixed-Initiative Planning in Space Mission Operations , Bresina, 2007; J. Wertz, W. Larson, Space Mission Analysis and Design , 3rd Edition, Space Technology Library, 1999; A. Cesta, A. Oddi, G. Cortellessa, S. Fratini, N. Policella, AI Based Tools for Continuous Support to Mission Planning , AIAA SpaceOps 2006 Conference, 2006; H. Pasquier, C. Cruzen, M. Schmidhuber, Y.H. Lee, Space Operations: Inspiring Humankind's Future , Springer International Publishing, 2010; C. Cruzen, M. Schmidhuber, L. Dubon, Space Operations: Innovations, Inventions, and Discoveries , AIAA Inc., 2015; KEYWORDS: Ground Launch Operations; Landing Operations; Mission Planning; Command and Control; Logistics; Air-Space Deconfliction; Weather Prediction; Rapid Logistics; Loading and Un-Loading Cargo;
