This project calls for SpaceDev to provide a significant departure from the classic space mission paradigm by designing a system that could be integrated and launched in hours or days instead of years.

"This is yet another exciting project for SpaceDev because it is in sync with our dynamic corporate culture of revolutionizing the space industry, and directly compliments innovative orbit work we are doing under another government contract," said Jim Benson, SpaceDev's founding chairman and chief executive officer.

"We love opportunities like this, to accelerate changing the way space is done, thereby moving SpaceDev closer to profitably opening space for all of humanity."

SpaceDev's contract with AFRL calls for the development of a standardized small spacecraft bus that is modular and provides a scalable, networked architecture.

SpaceDev will define standard payload and launch vehicle interfaces to enable plug and play of a variety of payloads to be rapidly launched on a variety of launch vehicles, on-demand.

SpaceDev will extend its success in using TCP/IP in space, pioneered with SpaceDev's high performance CHIPSat microsatellite for NASA. CHIPSat was commissioned, or checked out, in ten manual steps.

SpaceDev will incorporate autonomous satellite commissioning with the goal of the satellite being fully functional after only one orbit, or about 90 minutes in space.

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