{"canonical":"https://abierto.us/opportunities/il13665","key":"IL13665","url":"https://abierto.us/opportunities/il13665","title":"TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope","solicitation_number":"IL-13665","notice_type":"s","open":false,"response_deadline":"2024-03-03T23:00:00Z","first_posted":"2024-02-02","last_posted":"2024-02-02","department":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF","subagency":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF","office":"LLNS – DOE CONTRACTOR","naics":"334511","psc":null,"set_aside":null,"place_state":"CA","place_county":"06001","place_county_name":"Alameda County","place_city":"0641992","place_city_name":"Livermore","winner":null,"award_amount":null,"publications":[{"notice_id":"b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f","title":"TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope","solicitation_number":"IL-13665","notice_type":"s","base_type":"s","posted":"2024-02-02","posted_at":null,"due_at":"2024-03-03T23:00:00Z","due_date":"2024-03-03","cancelled":null,"archived":null,"archive_date":"2024-03-18","award_number":null,"awardee_name":null,"amount":null,"link_sam":"https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f/view","enriched":false,"history":[]}],"latest_notice_id":"b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f","first_type":"s","notices":[{"dates":{"posted":"2024-02-02","response_deadline":{"raw":"2024-03-03T15:00:00-08:00","utc":"2024-03-03T23:00:00Z","date":"2024-03-03","time":"15:00:00","utc_offset_seconds":-28800}},"links":{"sam":"https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f/view"},"naics":{"codes":["334511"],"primary":"334511"},"title":"TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope","agency":{"office":{"code":"899011","name":"LLNS – DOE CONTRACTOR"},"subtier":{"code":"8900","name":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF"},"department":{"code":"089","name":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF"},"office_address":{"zip":"94551","city":"Livermore","state":"CA","country":"USA"},"organization_type":"OFFICE"},"status":{"active":false,"archive_date":"2024-03-18","archive_type":"auto15"},"contacts":[{"name":"IPO Support","role":"primary","email":"ipo-support@llnl.gov","phone":"9254226416"},{"name":"Elsie Quaite-Randall","role":"secondary","email":"quaiterandal1@llnl.gov","phone":"9254237302"}],"base_type":{"code":"s","label":"Special Notice"},"notice_id":"b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f","provenance":{"extract":{"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/falextracts/Contract%20Opportunities/Archived%20Data/FY2024_archived_opportunities.csv","etag":"\"d582488fe153a9f11bf629913d176ffc-137\"","fetched_at":"2026-09-16T19:07:39.720164Z","row_sha256":"0f7330bf6e73b04bddae285db9b1930121ed95976c7e23eb96ba3054267a3b87","last_modified":"2026-09-13T14:47:40Z"},"updated_at":"2026-09-16T19:07:39.720164Z","first_seen_at":"2026-09-16T19:07:39.720164Z"},"description":{"text":"Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope. Background: Monolithic telescopes fabricate a reflective telescope into a single silica substrate. This approach provides exceptional mechanical stability because the relative position of the mirrors is permanently polished into a monolithic substrate and is inherently temperature insensitive due to the low CTE of fused silica (0.5 ppm/K). Once fabricated, monolithic telescopes can be taken for granted because the mirrors will always be aligned, even after subject to extreme force like during launch into space. There is a need to scale such telescope designs to larger apertures but not to incur the weight penalty of the conventional design. Description: Aeroptics are a proposed new class of monolithic optical system in aerogel fabricated by molding around a master mandrel. This approach combines the intrinsic stability of proven monolithic telescopes, with the ultralow density of silica aerogels. In Aeroptics, the monolith is hollow with an aerogel substrate providing a supporting structure. Theoretically, Aeroptics could enable 1-m aperture space-based telescopes with a mass of just 15kg, and mass that scales with aperture diameter cubed. Advantages/Benefits: All the stability advantages of a monolithic optic without the weight or optical absorption. Reduces weight at a 1m scale by 2 – 3 orders of magnitude. Compatible with space deployments and operations. Can be used in any application requiring fixed reflective optical elements. Potential Applications: Space situational awareness and navigation Remote Sensing Development Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 2-3 LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention. U.S. Patent Application No. 2023/0204936 Monolithic Optical Systems published 6/29/2023 LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following: Company Name and address. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope. The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: IL-13665","origin":"extract"},"notice_type":{"code":"s","label":"Special Notice"},"schema_version":1,"solicitation_number":"IL-13665","place_of_performance":{"city":{"name":"Livermore"},"state":{"code":"CA"},"country":{"code":"USA"}}}],"due_at":"2024-03-03T23:00:00Z","due_date":"2024-03-03","closes_at":"2024-03-03T23:00:00Z","awardable":false,"dept_key":"d-089","dept_name":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF","sub_key":"s-8900","sub_name":"ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF","office_key":"o-899011","office_name":"LLNS – DOE CONTRACTOR","state":"CA","county":"06001","county_name":"Alameda County","city":"0641992","city_name":"Livermore","country":"USA","winner_key":null,"amount":null,"linked_awards":0,"cancelled":false,"archived":false,"updated_at":"2026-09-16T21:18:12.857524Z","principal_notice_id":"b88f67e5b3bf421a863737200fc6059f","description":{"text":"Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope. Background: Monolithic telescopes fabricate a reflective telescope into a single silica substrate. This approach provides exceptional mechanical stability because the relative position of the mirrors is permanently polished into a monolithic substrate and is inherently temperature insensitive due to the low CTE of fused silica (0.5 ppm/K). Once fabricated, monolithic telescopes can be taken for granted because the mirrors will always be aligned, even after subject to extreme force like during launch into space. There is a need to scale such telescope designs to larger apertures but not to incur the weight penalty of the conventional design. Description: Aeroptics are a proposed new class of monolithic optical system in aerogel fabricated by molding around a master mandrel. This approach combines the intrinsic stability of proven monolithic telescopes, with the ultralow density of silica aerogels. In Aeroptics, the monolith is hollow with an aerogel substrate providing a supporting structure. Theoretically, Aeroptics could enable 1-m aperture space-based telescopes with a mass of just 15kg, and mass that scales with aperture diameter cubed. Advantages/Benefits: All the stability advantages of a monolithic optic without the weight or optical absorption. Reduces weight at a 1m scale by 2 – 3 orders of magnitude. Compatible with space deployments and operations. Can be used in any application requiring fixed reflective optical elements. Potential Applications: Space situational awareness and navigation Remote Sensing Development Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 2-3 LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention. U.S. Patent Application No. 2023/0204936 Monolithic Optical Systems published 6/29/2023 LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following: Company Name and address. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope. The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: IL-13665","html":null,"origin":"extract"},"contacts":[{"name":"IPO Support","role":"primary","email":"ipo-support@llnl.gov","phone":"9254226416"},{"name":"Elsie Quaite-Randall","role":"secondary","email":"quaiterandal1@llnl.gov","phone":"9254237302"}],"place_of_performance":{"city":{"name":"Livermore"},"state":{"code":"CA"},"country":{"code":"USA"}},"office_address":{"zip":"94551","city":"Livermore","state":"CA","country":"USA"},"naics_codes":["334511"],"award":null,"attachments":[],"awards":[],"related":[]}