The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), also referred to as Unit X, is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that aims to accelerate the U.S. military's adoption of commercial technology. DIU partners with commercial companies to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities, addressing national security challenges across areas like AI, autonomy, cyber, and space. Key activities include scouting cutting-edge technologies, streamlining contracting, and fostering collaboration between the DoD and the commercial technology sector.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
By working with DIU, Space Safari has expanded access to the joint force’s end users and DIU’s network of commercial and industry partners.
The Defense Innovation Unit posted a Commercial Solution Opening for TacRS in August 2023 and planned to award contracts in Fall 2023.
Space Systems Command’s Space Safari Program Office is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit on the TacRS mission VICTUS HAZE to identify and build out commercial capabilities for the TacRS program.
The Defense Innovation Unit is seeking industry bids for a tactically responsive space mission in which a launch provider would receive only 24 hours' notice to launch a payload.
Muon Space was awarded an option to its contract with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Weather Systems Branch and the Defense Innovation Unit to collect ionospheric data on the MuSat-2 satellite mission.
Muon Space was awarded an option to their contract with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Weather Systems Branch and the Defense Innovation Unit to collect ionospheric data on the MuSat-2 satellite mission.
The original $2,800,000 contract awarded in 2022 to Muon Space by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Weather Systems Branch and the Defense Innovation Unit requires Muon Space to deliver terrestrial weather products to the Air Force 557th Weather Wing from a space-based prototype microwave sensor.
Defense Innovation Unit published a solicitation on 2023-06-30 asking companies to submit proposals by 2023-07-17.
Defense Innovation Unit is a Department of Defense agency created to bring commercially developed technology into military programs.
The Space Force is funding the $50,000,000 Tetra-5 experiment co-sponsored by the Defense Innovation Unit to help inform a procurement strategy for in-orbit refueling.
National Security Innovation Capital was established in 2021 within the Defense Innovation Unit to support early-stage startups developing dual-use technology.
Astra Space, Inc. has been awarded a launch contract add-on for Rocket 4’s first test flight with the U.S. Department of Defense facilitated by the Defense Innovation Unit.
Astra Space, Inc. has been awarded a launch contract add-on for Rocket 4’s first test flight with the U.S. Department of Defense facilitated by the Defense Innovation Unit.
On 2023-05-16 Astra Space, Inc. was awarded a launch contract add-on for Rocket 4’s first test flight by the U.S. Department of Defense, facilitated by the Defense Innovation Unit.
Any Department of Defense organization can procure launch services from Rocket Lab through the Defense Innovation Unit’s Solutions Catalog following the prototype’s success.
The Department of Defense and the U.S. Space Force have created an ecosystem of organizations that fund research and prototyping projects, including the Defense Innovation Unit, SpaceWERX, AFWERX, and the Space Enterprise Consortium.
In September 2022, the Defense Innovation Unit issued its first hypersonics solicitation in partnership with the Director of Hypersonics and the Test Resource Management Center within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research & Engineering.
The first of the Defense Innovation Unit and SpaceWERX missions is scheduled to launch in early 2024.
Hypersonix Launch Systems was selected to provide a hypersonic vehicle to the United States Defense Innovation Unit for testing under the HyCAT1 program.
The Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force have created Defense Innovation Unit, AFWERX, and SpaceWERX to work with startups.