True Anomaly announced it has been selected for a $30M U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command contract for the VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission. (4.11.24)
Under the Emergent Need Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, made by SSC’s Space Safari Program Office in partnership with SpaceWERX, the Space Force will fund $30M of a total $60M effort and True Anomaly will leverage $30M of private capital.
The goal of VICTUS HAZE is to apply state-of-the-art, commercial products to provide highly capable solutions for future TacRS operations. The multi-vehicle demonstration will enable the development of TacRS tactics, techniques, and procedures, and prepare the Space Force and U.S. Space Command to deploy available response options necessary to deter adversary aggression on orbit.
True Anomaly and a second VICTUS HAZE performer, Rocket Lab, will both demonstrate their ability to build rendezvous and proximity operation (RPO) capable space vehicles and command and control centers with a delivery target of Fall 2025. Once the build phase is complete, the mission will enter several successive phases including “hot standby”—awaiting a rapid manifest and launch request.
Once activated, a True Anomaly Jackal autonomous orbital vehicle (AOV) will launch from either Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) in Florida or Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California. True Anomaly is partnering with SSC’s Space Safari team and a trusted commercial launch provider to create rapid industry launch pathways for the government to access in response to emerging national security threats. True Anomaly will leverage this launch provider’s proven flight heritage to provide a low-risk, innovative answer to the TacRS mission set.
“True Anomaly is proud to partner with Space Systems Command to demonstrate Tactically Responsive Space capabilities in peacetime to ensure the U.S., its allies, and partners are prepared to respond in the event of a real or perceived on-orbit threat,” said True Anomaly CEO & Co-Founder Even Rogers. “The space domain is one of the most challenging environments in which to test and train, and we applaud the service and Congress for their dedication to the TacRS mission set, which is increasingly necessary for deterrence, space domain awareness, and dynamic space operations.”
In addition to this VICTUS HAZE selection, True Anomaly was also recently awarded a $1.63M Direct to Phase II SBIR contract through the SpaceWERX TacRS Challenge. Under that effort, True Anomaly will demonstrate rapid integration of payloads to the Jackal AOV, proving its utility as a low-cost, multi-role spacecraft for a variety of national security space missions.
True Anomaly’s TacRS demonstrations will include an upgraded variant for its Jackal AOV that enables multi-orbit missions with a high-acceleration and high delta-V propulsion system being developed with its propulsion supplier, Agile Space Industries.
True Anomaly is proving rapid operational capabilities and techniques necessary to generate options for national security practitioners on threat relevant timelines, from spacecraft storage for readiness and responsive commercial launch to rapid payload identification, integration, and qualification.
