Space Force Eyeing Orbital Prime Study Program’s Commercialization Phase

The Space Force’s Orbital Prime program for research studies on In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing is moving on to its next phase of possible commercialization of the technologies presented. 

The program had initially granted study contracts to more than 100 companies, which were shortlisted to 41 companies currently working under the program’s Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research contracts valued from $1.7 million to $1.5 million each.

The ISAM technologies that Orbital Prime has generated include robotics, advanced sensors and debris-capture systems, SpaceNews reported.

Ellen Chang, adviser of Orbital Prime manager SpaceWERX and head of space ventures at the consulting firm BMNT, has scheduled a meeting with the program’s SBIR contractors to discuss opportunities for developing new ISAM customers.

BMNT is supporting Orbital Prime under a $9 million contract to inform companies and help network between government buyers and private investors. The consulting firm’s SpaceWERX task also includes a partnership with the nonprofit Aerospace Corp. to assess companies’ technology readiness and supply chain capability.