Potential launch sites and first competitors selected for DARPA program
NewsNovember 13, 2018
ARLINGTON, Va. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials announced the potential launch locations for the Agency's Launch challenge. The 18 chosen competitors will receive information about the final launch sites, payloads, and targeted orbit in the weeks prior to each launch.
Eighteen teams have prequalified to participate in the challenge, passing the first hurdle in the milestone process by proposing a viable solution for flexible and responsive launch. The diverse pool of applicants reflects the growth of the small commercial launch industry, and its potential to support emerging national security needs, DARPA officials say.
The potential launch locations for the DARPA Launch Challenge has options for both vertical and horizontal launch:
- California Spaceport, Vandenberg Air Force Base
- Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Florida
- Cecil Spaceport, Jacksonville, Florida
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
- Mojave Air and Space Port, California
- Naval Outlying Field, San Nicolas Island, California
- Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska, Kodiak
- Spaceport America, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
The challenge will culminate in late 2019 with two separate launches to low Earth orbit within weeks of each other from two different sites.
To pass the qualification phase, potential competitors must complete three discrete applications. Potential competitors submitted pre-qualification applications in mid-October, and the DARPA Launch Challenge application is due by Nov. 30. Teams also must submit and receive acceptance of an FAA license application by Feb. 1, 2019.
The complexity of commercial space transportation regulations can present challenges for both new and experienced applicants. Teams are encouraged to consult with the FAA well in advance of submitting a launch license application to reduce programmatic risk by identifying and addressing potential regulatory questions or issues.
If teams successfully complete all three steps, they will qualify for the launch phase and receive an initial $400,000 cash prize. Teams successfully completing the first launch will receive a $2 million prize. For a successful second launch, prizes of $10 million, $9 million and $8 million are available for the top three teams respectively, ranked by factors including mass, time to orbit, and orbit accuracy.
