From a Ball Aerospace news release: The USAF has chosen Ball as the prime contractor for the Space Test Program's Standard Interface Vehicle (STP-SIV).
"The goal of the STP-SIV program is to increase the flexibility and reduce the cost of small satellites, complementing similar efforts underway with small launch vehicles. Ball Aerospace, with teammates AeroAstro, Inc., and Broad Reach Engineering, will build a small spacecraft with a non-proprietary standardized payload-to-experiment interface. "
COMMENT: I wish them luck. Past efforts to reduce cost by standardization have failed because small satellite developers see no advantage in using the standard design unless it gets them affordable launch opportunities. If there is no promise of more frequent and/or affordable launch opportunities attached firmly to this program -and so far, there is not - it's not clear why anyone would follow a standard design instead of customizing to best suit the needs of their own payload.
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