National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC): Optical Sovereign Sensor Software (OSSS)

Tender description

UKSA has recently begun the hardware deployment of our Space Domain Awareness optical tracking stations. To operate these effectively, we require software that will enable the autonomous, remote and safe tasking of the sensors and their supporting hardware, with calibrated and corrected high-quality data returned to the central NSpOC wide C2 system (BOREALIS) via an API. Suppliers will be required to deliver three high level elements whose architecture and interfaces must be appropriately documents - a Microsoft Azure based sensor network C2 system, an on-premises C2 and hardware safety system and a separate optical processing pipeline that will generate the tracking/pointing and hardware instructions to execute the sensor sessions and return calibrated and corrected satellite tracklets. UKSA will require the successful supplier to utilise the existing hardware manufacturer provided software interfaces and to use existing commercially available/open-source plate-solving software packages. This is to preserve hardware warranties and minimise assurance activities. Lot 1: Provision of commercial off-the-shelf software solution and software development as per the description outlined above. UKSA anticipates launching this procedure in mid-March, with a planned deadline for bid submission of 24th April 2026. Contract award is planned for mid-late May with a targeted kick-off of 1st June. **UKSA intends to place this requirement via the Space-Enabled and Geospatial Services Dynamic Purchasing System (RM6235). UKSA will NOT be able to issue tender documentation to bidders who do not meet the filter requirements set. UKSA will also require Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation is in place at point of bid submission for this tender. Any bidders without Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation will be rejected. Owing to the security requirements relating to access to BOREALIS, this tender will be restricted to Uk-registered companies where all strategic decisions are undertaken in the UK by UK nationals on grounds of security. International subcontractors and project consortia partners will be permitted, though UKSA reserves the right to require changes to project consortia and/or subcontracting arrangements where a proposed structure represents a security risk.**