Sedaro Secures US Space Force Contract To Develop Digital Spacecraft Twins

Sedaro, a pioneering startup specializing in digital engineering software, has been awarded a $1.5 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to spearhead the development of digital twin technology in spacecraft design. 

The contract falls under the Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 award within the esteemed Orbital Prime program, jointly overseen by the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Sedaro will partner with academic institutions Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) and Draper Labs (DL) for the 15 month project, where together they will take Sedaro's cutting-edge cloud-based digital engineering software to develop prototype spacecraft for the ambitious "in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing" (ISAM) missions. These organizations are poised to contribute invaluable user perspectives that will help shape the development of new features within Sedaro's platform, specifically tailored to model the complexities of ISAM technology.

These ISAM missions will be propelled by the strategic implementation of digital twin models — virtual replicas of physical prototypes that can be manipulated and refined before committing to actual hardware.

Credit: Sedaro

Sedaro's software is set to provide the framework for designing and optimizing spacecraft equipped with intricate features such as robotic manipulators, precision cameras, targeting sensors, docking mechanisms, and refueling ports. 

 "Our goal is to develop digital twin software that will accelerate and improve ISAM technology development and deployment — both commercially and for the U.S. Space Force," - Robbie Robertson, Sedaro Co-Founder and CEO of Sedaro

This collaboration aims to expedite the evolution of ISAM technology and its seamless integration into future space missions, effectively redefining the landscape of space exploration and resource utilization.

The Orbital Prime program, in which Sedaro is now a participant, is rooted in a commitment to reduce the reliance on physical prototyping and testing, replacing traditional methods with dynamic digital tools that can be effortlessly shared among developers and operators. This marks a paradigm shift that promises to expedite innovation, optimize costs, and enhance overall efficiency within the aerospace sector.

As Sedaro ventures into this transformative project alongside the Space Force, the aerospace community anticipates the revolutionary advancements that will emerge from the fusion of cutting-edge digital engineering and the boundless possibilities of space exploration.