SpaceWERX

Stories

Tech7 wins SBIR to build Space Development Agency testbed for proliferated LEO tech

Facilitated the PLATE SBIR award

The Space Development Agency is buying a testbed to vet third-party satellite software before committing to full integration. Tech7 Company, a Colorado Springs defense contractor, won a Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award, run through the Space Force's SpaceWERX office, to build the Proliferated LEO Agile Testbed Environment, or PLATE. Tech7 announced the award on October 19, 2026.

Updated Oct 20

Momentus tracks NASA satellite with low-cost AI sensors in orbital proximity test

New Capabilities

As of October 2026: Contracting partner for the Space Maneuver Challenge

Momentus proved it can track and characterize a NASA CubeSat in orbit using a sensor suite built from commercial off-the-shelf parts, not the expensive military-grade hardware that usually does this work. The company's Vigoride-7 Orbital Service Vehicle used optical cameras, a compact solid-state LiDAR unit, and onboard edge-computing microprocessors to run autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) in any lighting condition. Vigoride-7 launched in March 2026 aboard SpaceX's Transporter-16 rideshare mission, and the demonstration ran under a $1.86 million SpaceWERX contract from the U.S. Space Force's innovation arm.

Updated Oct 6