WASHINGTON -- Slingshot Aerospace, a space tracking and analytics company, has secured a $5.3 million contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce (OSC) to develop the user experience for a next-generation space traffic coordination platform known as the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). The contract, announced on November 26, 2024, includes options for four additional years, potentially raising its value to $13.3 million.
TraCSS aims to modernize U.S. space traffic management and enhance the safety of civil and commercial satellites. NOAA anticipates launching the system's primary interface, TraCSS.gov, by late 2025, ahead of the transition of commercial users from the Department of Defense's legacy space-track.org system. NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad stated that this contract represents a significant advancement in providing spaceflight safety services to global operators.
Slingshot's visualization tools will enhance the accessibility of technical data through a modern interface. The initiative stems from Space Policy Directive-3, which transferred space traffic coordination responsibilities from the DoD to OSC, reflecting the growing commercialization of space.
In a related development, NASA has awarded a $20.5 million contract to Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory to build Suprathermal Ion Sensors for NOAA's Space Weather Next Program. This contract, running through January 31, 2034, includes the development of two instruments that will provide critical data to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. These sensors will monitor suprathermal ions and electrons to deliver early warnings of space weather impacts, including potential disruptions to power and communication systems.
Both initiatives underscore NOAA's commitment to enhancing space safety and weather forecasting capabilities in an increasingly crowded orbital environment.