CAPACITY ON A UHF-CAPABLE ON-ORBIT MEO SATELLITE

This Request for Information (RFI) is focused on obtaining access to bandwidth carried by a commercially owned, commercially operated UHF-capable on-orbit MEO satellite for use in a near-term experimental campaign to:

1. Characterize spectrum, waveform, and user equipment operation with a MEO UHF system
2. Demonstrate interoperability between a potential future MEO UHF system and the existing GEO constellation
3. Inform a time-sequenced pathway to augment or replace the GEO UHF system with a MEO capability

The offeror should consider technology solutions that prioritize existing space vehicle, payload and communications link capabilities to provide on-orbit service immediately or as soon as possible.  An Initial Launch Capability (ILC) by 2030 is potentially useful, but innovative approaches leading to earlier on-orbit capability are strongly desired.  The Government recognizes that this initial prototype may not be fully representative of a final, future architecture, but rather represents an initial step to explore providing UHF services from MEO.

AMENDMENT 1 (23 Jul 2026)

1. The following changes are hereby made to the above announcement:

   • Corrects the uplink and downlink frequency bands in Section 4.0.a.i

2. The attachment entitled "pMEO Demo Request for Information_FINAL 10 Jul 26" is removed in its entirety and replaced with "pMEO Demo Request for Information_AMEND1 23 Jul 26".

3. All other RFI content and due dates remain unchanged.

Refer to the attachment entitled "pMEO Demo Request for Information_AMEND1 23 Jul 26" for full details.

REACTIVATED (13 Nov 2026) 

1. All RFI content remain unchanged. Due date for Statement of Capabilities is 01 Dec 2026.

Refer to the attachment entitled "pMEO Demo Request for Information_AMEND1 23 Jul 26" for full details.