Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
AboutNational IntelligenceOrganizationsProductsMissionsSpacecraftConstellationsForecastsLatest Information
Explore
© Polaris Intelligence 2026Admin

U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

US
gov defenseFounded 2015
United States
Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Muon Space was awarded a contract by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Weather Systems Branch and the Defense Innovation Unit to evaluate GNSS‑R ocean wind speed, soil moisture products, and ionospheric data on the MuSat-2 satellite mission.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductDec 7, 2023NRO Awards Contract to Muon Space for Commercial Electro-Optical Capabilities

DIU plans to host a Technology Summit in the Washington, D.C. area in early 2024 to provide industry with more detail about broad Replicator opportunities and to include workshops on repurposing dual-use commercial technology solutions for warfighter needs.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipDec 1, 2023Implementing DoD’s Replicator Initiative to accelerate all-domain attributable autonomous systems to warfighters at speed + scale

In 2022 the Defense Innovation Unit selected eight companies to work on the Hybrid Space Architecture: Aalyria, Anduril, Atlas Space Operations, Enveil, SpiderOak Mission Systems, Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and Microsoft Azure Space.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 29, 2023Defense Innovation Unit solicits new round of proposals for space network project

The Defense Innovation Unit was established in 2015 to help the Department of Defense access and integrate commercial technologies from startup companies and other non-traditional defense contractors.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 29, 2023Defense Innovation Unit solicits new round of proposals for space network project

The eBee VISION UAS is part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit project to develop customized command and control software compliant with the DoD Robotic and Autonomous System-Air Interoperability Profile.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipNov 21, 2023AgEagle to Provide Surveillance Drones for Defense and Public Safety

The mission is projected for early 2025 and is funded by the Defense Innovation Unit.

Mentioned as: defense innovation unitTechnical ProductNov 9, 2023Rocket Lab to launch hypersonic test vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit selected Fenix Space, a California-based startup developing a reusable tow-launch platform.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductNov 9, 2023Rocket Lab to launch hypersonic test vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit's payload will be a scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicle built by Hypersonix.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 9, 2023Rocket Lab to launch hypersonic test vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit provided about $10,000,000 in government funding to Vector Atomic for the atomic sensor project.

Mentioned as: defense innovation unitTechnical ProductOct 10, 2023DoD-funded space project advances non-GPS navigation

Vector Atomic was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit in 2020 to build an atomic sensor designed to survive the rigors of space.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipOct 10, 2023DoD-funded space project advances non-GPS navigation

The U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit is seeking responsive access to cislunar space.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductOct 5, 2023China wants a lunar satellite constellation to support deep space missions

A potential client for an in-space demonstration could be one of the Tetra-5 small satellites projected to launch in 2025 for an on-orbit refueling experiment funded by the Space Force and the Defense Innovation Unit.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralSep 25, 2023U.S. Space Force and Astroscale to co-invest in a refueling satellite

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.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipAug 28, 2023DIU + USSF to leverage commercial industry for TacRS

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.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralAug 28, 2023DIU + USSF to leverage commercial industry for TacRS

A Small Responsive Launch program began in 2017 between Space Systems Command and DIU to leverage low-cost, high-cadence launch to quickly place small payloads into low Earth orbit and deliver payloads to specific addresses.

Mentioned as: DIUOrg RelationshipAug 28, 2023DIU + USSF to leverage commercial industry for TacRS

The Defense Innovation Unit posted a Commercial Solution Opening for TacRS in August 2023 and planned to award contracts in Fall 2023.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipAug 28, 2023DIU + USSF to leverage commercial industry for TacRS

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.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralAug 25, 2023Defense Innovation Unit to sponsor a rapid response space mission

DIU posted a solicitation on 2023-08-24 asking companies to submit proposals by 2023-09-07 for a responsive space mission named Victus Haze.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralAug 25, 2023Defense Innovation Unit to sponsor a rapid response space mission

DIU expects to award contracts for the Victus Haze mission in fall of 2023.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative PlanAug 25, 2023Defense Innovation Unit to sponsor a rapid response space 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.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductJul 12, 2023Muon Space awarded additional funding from AFLMC + DIU to collect space weather data
Page6of14