TrustPoint's low Earth orbit navigation system ground station. Credit: TrustPoint
WASHINGTON — TrustPoint, a Virginia startup developing a low-Earth-orbit navigation system intended to complement or back up GPS, said May 12 it received a $4 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to demonstrate a GPS-independent positioning, navigation and timing system.
The award is a Tactical Funding Increase, or TACFI, issued through SpaceWERX, the organization that manages the Space Force’s Small Business Innovation Research contracts. TACFI programs are designed to help companies transition technologies developed under early-stage SBIR contracts into larger government programs.
Patrick Shannon, TrustPoint’s co-founder and chief executive, said TACFI awards are typically valued at around $2 million and usually require matching private investment. In this case, he said, SpaceWERX and the Space Force Commercial Space Office funded the full $4 million amount.
“That indicates a strong demand signal” for the technology, Shannon said.
