OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Space Platform; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to preform concept exploration, Modeling and Simulation (M&S), prototype development, test and evaluation of lower-cost, lighter and multi-domain cargo containers with additional features needed for space transport. DESCRIPTION: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has a 70-year history of launching exquisite, fragile payloads to space and doing so in a highly mass-optimized fashion. US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) also have a long history of deploying inter-modal containers to allow cargo to withstand the environments of transport by air, sea, rail, and land, and rapidly switch between the transport modes without repackaging. Inter-modal container development has not addressed the emerging market of transport by space. Merging these two expertise will be necessary for rocket transportation of Department of Defense (DoD) materials. Innovate options for intermodal containers that are reasonable mass-optimized for space launch are needed. Whereas in the past the DoD optimized rocket payloads solely for mass, understanding the trade-space between mass-optimization and end-to-end speed of the logistics chain is desired. Relaxing the mass optimization for containers presents a vast array of concepts to greatly accelerate the speed at which crews can load and unload a rocket. Novel designs in mass optimized, inter-model containers for space could allow crews to move the cargo to other transport modes without having to repack materials in separate and distinct containers. The goal of this effort is to investigate and develop concepts for low-cost and inter-modal containers that are suited for space transport of cargo. Different type of cargo classes should be considered, such as sensitive material requiring vibration isolation (i.e. medical equipment/supplies), liquid fuel and even human transport needs. The information, test and evaluation (T&E) under this effort will be used to influence and guide container development that is suitable for rocket cargo efforts. An objective of this effort is to enable the commercial market to develop and manufacture inter-modal shipping container that meet the needs of the DoD for rocket transportation. 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 of cargo containers to minimize cost and enable agile logistics through the entire span of responsive mission planning, rapid cargo logistics, ground launch operations and coordination with commercial airspace. 463L interfaces/materials handling system should be taken into consideration as that is cargo system used for military aircraft and a standard form factor to be considered is the ISU-90. Civil systems use, to a greater extent containers of the size 88" or 96" X 125" civil pallets and may need to be accommodated as part of the Rocket Cargo container trade space. The main deliverables will be modeling and simulation (M&S), T&E of concepts that advance the viability and utility of using commercial inter-modal container systems for rocket transport capabilities of the United States Space Force (USSF) for combatant commanders. 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, concept development, concept demonstration and concept evaluation, laboratory experimentation and field testing. Phase I type efforts include the assessment of emerging commercial inter-modal container systems that enable rapid transport of DOD materiel to ports across the globe. Phase I type efforts would include the addition of space as a new domain for inter-modal systems. In addition, Phase I-like efforts would include assessment of containers that can withstand high-g ejection and thermal loading in the case of air launched delivery. Novel methods for disassembly and/or prepping containers to re-enter the logistics chain should have also been addressed. The result of Phase 1 type efforts is to assess and demonstrate whether commercial container systems can support the DoD's goal of delivering cargo anywhere on the planet in less than one hour. 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, experimentation and evaluation of commercial shipping containers that enable quick transport of DoD material to ports across the globe. Prototypes, M&S and experimentation should explore a wide range of inter-modal systems that can be used for cargo transport on commercial rocket capabilities. The container systems 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, M&S and experimentation to address military-unique requirements that may not be otherwise met by commercial container 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, M&S, T&E 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: V. Reis, R. Macario, Intermodal Freight Transportation , Elsevier, 2019; R. Konings, H. Priemus, P. Nijkamp, Future of Intermodal Freight Transport: Operations, Design and Policy , Elgar Publishing, 2008; C. Moore, S. Yildirim, S. Baur, Educational Adaptation of Cargo Container Design Features , ASEE Zone III Conference, 2015; K. Giriunas, H. Sezen, R. B. Dupaix, Evaluation, modeling, and analysis of shipping container building structures , Engineering Structures, vol. 43, 2012; ISO 90-2:1997, Light gauge metal containers -- Definitions and determination of dimensions and capacities -- Part 2: General use containers 1997; USTRANSCOM, Charter for the Joint Intermodal Working Group , www.ustranscom.mil/imp/index. cfm JIWG, 2012; Defense Transportation Regulation part VI, Management and Control of Intermodal Containers and System 463L Equipment, https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/dtrp6.cfm, 2021; Defense Transportation Regulation References, https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/dtr_references.pdf; KEYWORDS: Multi-Domain Cargo Containers; Multi-Modal Cargo Containers; Mass Optimization; Shock and Vibration Isolation; Low-Cost Shipping Containers; Agile Logistics; Rapid Cargo Logistics; Ground Launch Operations; Mission Planning and Management; 463L Interfaces
