- Momentus Inc. (MNTS, Financial) secures a $1.86M contract with U.S. Space Force's SpaceWERX for a Phase II SBIR project.
- The project focuses on demonstrating a new low-cost, multi-spectral sensor suite for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) in space.
- Scheduled for early 2026, the demonstration will take place aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission.
Momentus Inc. (MNTS), a leading commercial space company based in San Jose, California, has announced the signing of a $1.86 million Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. This significant contract was awarded to support the in-space flight demonstration of a novel, low-cost multi-spectral sensor suite for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), planned for early 2026.
The project is designed to showcase an internally developed RPO system equipped with optical, infrared, and lidar sensors. These technologies are integrated with machine vision algorithms and advanced data fusion techniques to autonomously guide a spacecraft to an uncharacterized object in low Earth orbit, promising to advance cost-effective in-space operations.
John Rood, CEO of Momentus, expressed enthusiasm about the milestone, stating, “We’re honored to support the U.S. Space Force and the Department of the Air Force in developing advanced capabilities for dynamic space operations such as orbital servicing, refueling of satellites, structure assembly in space, and debris mitigation.”
The flight demonstration will be conducted on SpaceX's Transporter-16 rideshare mission, set to launch no earlier than February 2026. Momentus will host the RPO payload on its Vigoride orbital service vehicle, alongside other commercial and Department of Defense customers.
This project was a winning proposal from the SpaceWERX Sustained Space Maneuver Challenge launched in 2024, chosen for a Direct to Phase II award after a competitive evaluation. The contract negotiations were finalized in early June 2025.
