Tender: Laboratory Flatsat Platform for Cybersecurity Testing of Hybrid Space Networks – DND/CAF IDEaS Challenge

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The Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are seeking proposals under the IDEaS Call 006 for the development of a laboratory "flatsat" platform to design, test and validate secure satellite software and hardware architectures and cyber defence mechanisms for Hybrid Space Networks (HSNs). Proposals are accepted for Component 1a, Component 1b and Component 2 across TRL 1–9, with multiple contracts possible: Component 1a up to $250,000 CAD for up to 6 months, Component 1b up to $1,500,000 CAD for up to 12 months, and Component 2 up to $5,000,000 CAD with the period of performance to be determined at negotiation. The flatsat must replicate the full functionality of operational satellite subsystems, integrate at least two payloads (one must be communications), measure no more than 2.5 m x 2.5 m of laboratory floor space, provide easy hardware access for instrumentation, include wired-access TT&C and communications modules, implement a modular, reconfigurable and reprogrammable software architecture supporting patching and hardware replacement, and provide administrative capabilities for health monitoring, bus I/O, configuration and secure wired software updates. The challenge encourages multiple and type-diverse payloads (examples: communications, remote observation, navigation, scientific measurements, weather/meteorology or other type-specific payloads) and lists example budgets and timelines: flatsats with five or more payloads up to $1,250,000 (6–12 months), three to four payloads $500,000–$1,000,000 (6–12 months), and two payloads $100,000–$400,000 (6–12 months). Desired outcomes include exploration of security concepts to harden HSNs, development and demonstration of novel cybersecurity protection mechanisms, creation of remote-access environments for competitions and training, and use of more than two payloads to increase innovation and technical merit.