# Cathode Advancements in Science and Technology for Oxygen Resistance (CASTOR)

Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/darpapa250703

- Solicitation number: DARPA-PA-25-07-03
- Notice type: Solicitation
- Status: Closed. Deadline was April 27, 2026
- Department: Department of Defense
- Agency: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Contracting office: Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy (HR0011)
- NAICS: 541715 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Product or service code: AC12 National Defense R&D Services; Department Of Defense - Military; Applied Research
- First posted: March 13, 2026
- Last posted: April 9, 2026
- SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/eb0b7c04c54f4dbb876cb2ee796aedeb/view

## Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is issuing a Disruption Opportunity (DO), inviting submissions of innovative basic or applied research for efficient, high-performance, long-lived oxygen-compatible cathodes for use in air-breathing very low earth orbit (VLEO) electric propulsion (EP) systems. This DO is issued under the Program Announcement for Disruptioneering, DARPA-PA-25-07. All awards will be made in the form of an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype project.

The total award value for the combined Phase 1 base (Feasibility Study) and Phase 2 option (Proof of Concept) is limited to $900,000 (see Section I.C for information more information on phase structure). This total award value includes Government funding and performer cost share if required or proposed. To view the DARPA Program Announcement (PA) for Disruptioneering, visit SAM.gov under solicitation number DARPA-PA-25-07: https://sam.gov/opp/bae5fa32f4ee4cdb9a070a14309b2c66/view.

## Publications

- March 13, 2026: Solicitation, due April 27, 2026. Notice 0f3678f0c676408ebdd2b40703463157. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/0f3678f0c676408ebdd2b40703463157/view
- April 9, 2026: Solicitation, due April 27, 2026. Notice eb0b7c04c54f4dbb876cb2ee796aedeb. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/eb0b7c04c54f4dbb876cb2ee796aedeb/view

## Points of contact

- BAA Coordinator, CASTOR@darpa.mil

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Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/darpapa250703.