True Anomaly Secures $17.4 Million US Space Force Contract to Supercharge Space Domain Awareness

Image via True Anomaly

True Anomaly, a fledgling startup space domain awareness (SDA) founded less than two years ago, has just secured a game-changing $17.4 million contract from the US Space Force Space Systems Command, TechCrunch reports.

Redefining Space Domain Awareness

Traditionally, SDA technologies have primarily focused on spacecraft traffic management and collision avoidance.

However, True Anomaly's approach marks a significant shift in mentality, aligning perfectly with the vision of the US Space Force.

Tom Nichols, Chief Product Officer at True Anomaly, elaborates on this pivotal change in strategy: "It's not just tracking objects to make sure they don't collide; it's also about understanding the activities within the space domain and leveraging that information for informed decision-making."

As a former US Air Force space operations officer, Nichols speaks about his frustration with the limitations of existing SDA capabilities during his military service, which drove him to co-found True Anomaly with CEO Even Rogers.

Their goal? To build better, faster, and more cost-effective SDA capabilities.

The True Anomaly Solution: "SDA Kit"

At the heart of True Anomaly's groundbreaking endeavor lies the "SDA Kit," a comprehensive suite of space domain awareness tools.

This kit comprises four key functions, each with a critical role in reshaping our understanding of space:

• DTID (Detect, Track, ID): This function empowers the Space Force to precisely locate and track objects in space.

• Characterization: True Anomaly's technology extracts vital information from spacecraft, such as emitted light, to characterize their functions.

• TW&A (Threat Warning and Assessment): Using machine learning, this function predicts changes in an object's behavior and identifies anomalies that could pose threats.

• Data Exploitation and Integration: By funneling publicly available, commercial, and classified data, True Anomaly's solution enhances event forecasting capabilities.

Mosaic Integration and Jackal Spacecraft

True Anomaly's contract also dovetails with their ongoing work on "Mosaic," an integrated software platform for space operations. SDA capabilities will serve as a crucial application layer on this platform, enhancing its capabilities.

Additionally, True Anomaly is set to launch the first two "Jackal" autonomous spacecraft on SpaceX's Transporter-10 ride-share mission later this year.

Jackal will provide the Space Force with unprecedented insights into the activities of American adversaries in orbit, thus enabling more informed decisions.

Shifting the Cost-Benefit Equation

Derek Tournear, the head of the US Space Development Agency, emphasized the significance of True Anomaly's approach at a space security conference in April: "It will cost more to shoot down a single satellite than it will cost to build that single satellite."

In essence, the US can offset threats from anti-satellite missiles by deploying a multitude of spacecraft, a strategy that has the potential to reshape the dynamics of space warfare.

However, this bold approach relies on the industry stepping up to the plate. True Anomaly's co-founder, Even Rogers, who served in the US Air Force, is optimistic about the industry's ability to adapt.

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