Otter
Starfish Space’s Otter satellite servicing vehicle has been partly funded by SBIR contracts. Credit: Starfish Space

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is using its latest round of small-business research contracts to pursue technologies that are closer to operational use, a shift from the open ended research projects that have sometimes fueled industry skepticism of the Pentagon’s SBIR program.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...