As the space industry rapidly advances, bridging the gap between commercial innovation and government mission needs has become more crucial for national security and defense. The Aerospace Corporation, in partnership with SpaceWERX—the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force—launched a transformative program to help accelerate commercial technologies for government space missions.

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Bootcamp offers a structured environment that combines innovation assessment, technical guidance, and lab access. Through this collaboration, Aerospace and SpaceWERX aim to better align emerging technologies with USSF space missions. The initiative recently completed their first cohort cycle and is embarking on expanding the program into its next phase.

“Our strength as a nation is our rich industrial base and the innovation that comes out of that,” said Arthur Grijalva, director of SpaceWERX. “We make investments into ideas, mature them, and transition them into the warfighter’s hands, while also accelerating them in the commercial market. Looking to the future, we want to make sure that everything we’re building and all these investments we’re making fit well into the force design, into the architecture for the Space Force, and into what the program offices are looking to actually advance. Aerospace is tied into all those communities.”

Aligning Commercial Innovation with Government Mission Needs

The inaugural bootcamp cohort of seven companies focused on in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), with Aerospace and SpaceWERX supporting them in tailoring their innovations for defense, intelligence, and civil space applications.

TRL Bootcamp’s unique approach enables small business and startup companies to align their innovative technologies with critical government needs while advancing Aerospace’s strategy of integrating commercial solutions into government programs. These efforts are managed through Aerospace’s Commercial Space Futures Office, which works to identify promising, emerging commercial technology and facilitate its integration into U.S. government missions.

"More than just showing the way, we help them get there”, said Andre Doumitt, director of Emerging Programs within CSF. “After making technology development recommendations, we provide the subject matter experts and specialized lab equipment to help grow the technology as it climbs up the TRL ladder.”

By delivering these TRL assessments and technology development roadmaps, CSF provides the government customer and startup companies with a clear path to align technology with government priorities.

“Startups, accelerators, incubators and universities are teeming with innovation, and we want to access that innovation to keep delivering today’s missions while preparing for the future,” Doumitt said. “For government program managers, however, the breadth and diversity of the innovation landscape can be like a box of chocolates – you never know what’s inside. TRL Bootcamp addresses those uncertainties by providing clear, technical maturity assessments within the context of a space mission, and then spelling out next steps to achieving the next milestone on track to a launched mission. That's really the key value proposition. You no longer have that box of chocolates problem.”

Mission areas that SpaceWERX and Aerospace anticipate next include tactically responsive space; alternative position, navigation, and timing (PNT); sustained space maneuver; and satellite communications.

Providing Unmatched Technical Expertise and Testing Facilities

Key to the program’s success is participant access to some of Aerospace’s 150-plus state-of-the-art labs and campus, where companies can conduct rigorous testing and validation of their technologies. Access to Aerospace’s facilities enables companies to accelerate maturation and strengthen the viability of their technology, de-risking them for government missions and providing insights that are often unavailable outside of a lab environment.

“The next step to actually raise TRL is to put these technologies through their paces, testing them in operational or mission-like contexts, providing the companies the ability to demonstrate their technology in ways that are informed by mission or flight-like needs,” said Ben Bycroft, a senior project leader in Aerospace’s Vehicle Engineering Department.

One such example of the testing facilities Aerospace provides is the Collaborative and Autonomous Vehicles Ecosystem Lab, or CAVE Lab, which provides a unique environment for startups to test their technologies in realistic mission-like conditions. In the CAVE Lab, companies can integrate their technology with representative hardware and simulate complex scenarios, such as in-space servicing or satellite docking. Using robotic arms and high-fidelity simulations, the CAVE Lab recreates critical maneuvers—like the last meter of docking—to show how technologies will perform in near-space environments.

Aerospace is also well positioned to support companies that may not need testing but would benefit from a wider breadth of expert technical assessment and guidance.

“One of the big challenges for small businesses is they are small teams that are focused on their core competency — the technology that they are building,” Bycroft said. “They don't necessarily have the full scope of the challenges of putting things in space or what the government customers need from them once they are in operations. Aerospace can fill in the gaps that a small business just doesn't have the staffing or the resources to provide.”

Grijalva also emphasized the value of Aerospace’s unique, independent role in these assessments.

“What’s really great is a lot of these companies have technology capabilities that they’re maturing, but it’s sometimes hard to identify where they’re at,” Grijalva said. “Aerospace, with all the great expertise, is able to make an independent assessment, see where they are, see what resources they need to help them accelerate and ultimately transition to the programs of record.”

Strengthening Partnerships Across the U.S. Government

The TRL Bootcamp reflects a collaborative approach that is mutually beneficial across Aerospace, SpaceWERX and other government entities. The partnership also serves as a model for the future of government-commercial collaboration in space, creating new opportunities across a broad range of mission-critical areas.

“It really just gives a confidence and commitment … and it helps burn down the risk when we’re looking at incorporating them into our most important mission areas in the Space Force,” Grijalva said.

The TRL Bootcamp is envisioned as a scalable model that can be adopted by a range of U.S. government agencies, such as NASA, AFRL, and NOAA. By establishing a flexible program framework, Aerospace can work with these agencies to assess technical maturity and accelerate commercial capabilities to serve critical mission areas across the U.S. government.

Earlier this year, NASA and SpaceWERX entered into an Interagency Agreement to participate in the bootcamp. This agreement sets the stage for NASA to contribute their laboratory infrastructure into the effort while also granting them access to data on the technologies being developed.

The TRL Bootcamp exemplifies Aerospace’s commitment to advancing space innovation by guiding commercial companies toward mission readiness for key U.S. government customers.

“We work across the entire Space Force, which includes the Space Development Agency. We also work with Space RCO, Space Systems Command, Air Force Research Lab, Space Operations Command and STARCOM,” Grijalva said. “There’s a lot of great opportunities there to advance the Space Force, but we also want to have a whole-of-government approach.”

This program, through its blend of technical rigor, collaborative engagement, and alignment with government objectives, paves the way for a resilient, integrated space enterprise that serves both public and private interests.