Space Development Agency

The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a United States Space Force direct-reporting unit tasked with deploying disruptive space technology.[1] A primary focus is space-based missile defense using large global satellite constellations made up of industry-procured low-cost satellites.[2][3][4] The SDA has been managed by the United States Space Force since October 2022.[5] By September 2023 the SDA had 23 satellites on orbit.[6] SDA targets to have at least 1,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by 2026.[7]

Space Development Agency
US Space Development Agency logo.jpg
Space Development Agency
Agency overview
FormedMarch 12, 2019 (2019-03-12)
TypeDirect reporting unit
HeadquartersThe Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, US
38.871°N 77.056°W / 38.871; -77.056
Motto
  • Semper Citius
  • (Latin: "Always Faster")
Agency executives
Parent departmentUnited States Department of the Air Force
Parent agencyUnited States Space Force
Websitewww.sda.mil

History

The agency was established by Mike Griffin in 2019 with his appointment to Under Secretary of Defense (R&E) by President Donald Trump.[8] Griffin had long advocated for low Earth orbit constellations to eliminate U.S. vulnerability to ballistic missiles with his work on space-based interceptors for the Strategic Defense Initiative and Brilliant Pebbles in the 1980s. However these programs dissolved in the 1990s due to excess cost and political disagreement.[9] Later, the United States and other countries developed hypersonic weapons, which Griffin argued were thermally dimmer and could only be reliably tracked by low-flying satellites with infrared sensors, creating a need to resurrect such programs.[10][2] In addition to hypersonic weapons, the memorandum establishing the SDA also calls for a new space architecture "not bound by legacy methods or culture" that provides unifying command and control through a cross-domain artificial intelligence-enabled network.[11]

The Space Development Agency proposed the National Defense Space Architecture,[12][13][14] later renamed the Proliferated Warfighting Space Architecture.[lower-alpha 1] It advances a network of global orbiters composed of layers with different military capabilities such as communications, surveillance, global navigation, battle management, deterrence, and missile defense. The satellite constellation is to be interconnected by free-space optical laser terminals[15] in a secure command and control optical mesh network.[16] Satellites are to be low cost and "proliferated" in low Earth orbit. New commercial technology such as reusable launch systems have reduced deployment costs[17] and new mass-produced commercial satellites offer less "juicy" targets for anti-satellite weapons by being inexpensive and potentially hard to distinguish from other commercial satellites.[2] Development is to follow the spiral model,[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] incorporating learning from previous iterations and launching new satellite replacements regularly as the useful lifetime of each is relatively short. The SDA expects to field and maintain a constellation of at least 1,000 satellites on orbit by 2026.[7]

The SDA has mostly avoided flaws that plagued earlier proliferated missile defense programs such as Brilliant Pebbles. The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was a major impediment in the past, as these systems were deemed non-compliant with the treaty by Congress.[9] However, George W. Bush withdrew the United States from the treaty in 2002, eliminating this barrier.[18] Over the years, launch and manufacturing costs have been greatly reduced. Decades after the SDIO’s DC-X failed there are now commercial reusable launch vehicles such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.[19] Meanwhile mass manufacturing as with Starlink has proven the potential for lower satellite build costs.[17]

Political and administrative opposition to SDA came from 24th Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson who argued that "launching hundreds of cheap satellites into theater as a substitute for the complex architectures where we provide key capabilities to the warfighter will result in failure on America's worst day if relied upon alone."[7] Members of Congress also gave concerns that SDA would drain resources and jobs from Air Force and questioned why DoD had to create a separate organization to circumvent its own procurement process. Despite the pushback, the Pentagon did not require congressional authorization to create the SDA, and Wilson was overruled by Patrick M. Shanahan, who became acting defense secretary by appointment of Donald Trump. He placed the new agency under the authority and control of Mike Griffin who was also appointed as Under Secretary of Defense (R&E).[8]

Despite these early success, SDA still faces critical challenges. The Union of Concerned Scientists warned SDA could escalate tensions with Russia and China and called the project "fundamentally destabilizing".[20] Both China and Russia brought concerns to the United Nations about the U.S. plans for militarization of space.[21] The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has advocated for better use of arms control and international agreements such as a treaty halting related development by all parties to prevent an arms race in space.[22]

Critics have reiterated longstanding concerns that ground-based lasers can easily "paint" satellites in low Earth orbit, temporarily blinding their sensors. The APS reporting the energy needed for this is very low.[23] Likewise, RF jamming is simpler when communication and radar satellites are in lower altitudes as less power is needed to saturate their low-noise amplifiers. It is also far easier to launch an anti-satellite weapon to destroy satellites in low Earth orbit (as demonstrated with small ASM-135 or RIM-161 missiles) given much less energy is required to kinetically intersect than to enter and maintain orbit. An adversary would simply need to "punch a hole" in the constellation immediately before launching an attack.[24][20][25] When the Biden Administration took ownership of the program in 2021, they appeared to take heed of these concerns[26] but still signed on to a $500M increase for the agency in the FY2023 spending bill.[27]

The neoconservative think-tank Heritage Foundation called the Space Development Agency a model for the military. In their 2025 Mandate for Leadership, they call to develop new offensive space capabilities to "impose [American] will if necessary". They further claim the Biden Administration "has eliminated almost all offensive deterrence capabilities" in space that were planned under the Trump Administration.[28]

SDA awarded its first contracts in August 2020. Lockheed Martin received $188 million and York Space Systems received $94 million to each build 10 data relay satellites for its transport layer. In October 2020, SDA chose SpaceX and L3Harris Technologies to develop four satellites each to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.[29] The initial tranche of satellites were originally scheduled to launch September 2022.[16] However, the initial launch slipped due to supply-chain issues for microelectronics such as radios,[30] software problems, and protests by Raytheon and Airbus over procurement and evaluation process.[31] SDA industry partners now include SpaceX, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman, Ball Aerospace and General Dynamics.[7]

A number of experimental satellites were launched in 2021. SDA plans to test some of the key technologies in a series of on-orbit experiments that went up on Transporter-2: Mandrake 2, the Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS), and the Prototype On-orbit Experimental Testbed (POET).[32]

SDA’s current schedule expects Tranche 0 capability[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] will be on orbit in time to support a summer 2023 demonstration.[31][33][34][35]

Tranche 1 satellites were solicited for bid in 2021,[36] launch in September 2024,[37] with monthly launches thereafter.[38][39] More than 150 satellites: 126 in Tranche 1 Transport Layer; 35 in Tranche 1 Tracking Layer; 12 in Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System.[38] In 2022 contracts were awarded to York Space Systems, Lockheed Martin Space, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems.[40]

Tranche 2 satellites were solicited for bid in 2023,[41] for launch in 2026.[41] More than 550 satellites: 250 in the Transport Layer; 50 in the Tracking Layer; Transport Layer will have 100 Alpha satellites, 72 Beta satellites, and 44 Gamma satellites;[38] The Beta satellites RFP were released in the 2nd week of April.[38] The Alpha RFP was released in June 2023 and Gamma is scheduled for early 2024.[38] The Alpha satellites are similar to those in the Tranche 1 Transport Layer; the Beta satellites will have UHF and tactical communications payloads; the Gamma satellites will carry advanced waveform payloads.[38][42] York Space Systems will build 62 satellites for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer.[43] In 2023 contracts for 72 satellites were awarded to Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin (for 36 Beta satellites apiece).[44][45]

13th Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Will Roper expressed interest in the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet constellation as a platform for the SDA.[46][47]

Projects and research

Transport layer[48] of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA)[49][lower-alpha 1][50]
Rapid Reaction Launch Proliferated Ground C2[52] for the NDSA (National defense space architecture)[lower-alpha 1][50] of the Space Development Agency

SDA satellites are the first to have direct-to-weapon control according to SDA’s technical director, Frank Turner.[53]

Among the SDA projects:

Launches

Earth's satellites in: Low Earth orbit— LEO (blue); Medium Earth orbit— MEO (green); Cislunar distances (red): If one were to hold a blue marble out at arm's length, one would see Earth's size and shape from the perspective of the astronauts travelling to the Moon.

SDA's initial launch of 10 satellites (denoted Tranche 0)[lower-alpha 3] had been scheduled for December 2022; however tests of 8 of these satellites indicated that each had a noisy power supply. The contractor, York Space Systems retrofitted filters on the 8 satellites at no cost to the government; the initial launch was delayed to March 2023, including the 8 retrofitted by York Space Systems.[100][33]

On 2 April 2023 the first 10 satellites of Tranche 0 were launched into low earth orbit, as planned. These satellites will demonstrate the responsive (low latency) communication links of the Transport layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). An initial checkout of the satellite bus and mission[lower-alpha 3] payloads is the current priority.[100] The second Tranche 0 launch, carrying 13 more satellites, took place on 2 September 2023.[102] Of the 18 initially scheduled payloads one Transport satellite built by York has been excluded to conduct software tests, while the four Tracking satellites built by L3Harris have been kept on the ground by production delays and will be launched later as rideshare payloads of a planned MDA mission.[103]

Tranche 0 satellites
Manufacturer Nickname Built Launched On the ground Decayed
Tranche 0A
(02 Apr 2023)
Tranche 0B
(02 Sep 2023)
Transport layer
York Space Systems Checkmate A-Class: 6
B-Class: 4
A-Class: 5
B-Class: 3
A-Class: 0
B-Class: 1
A-Class: 1
B-Class: 0
Lockheed Martin Wildfire A-Class: 7
B-Class: 3
A-Class: 0
B-Class: 0
A-Class: 7
B-Class: 3
A-Class: 0
B-Class: 0
Tracking layer
SpaceX BB 4 2 2 0
L3Harris 4 0 0 4

Management

SDA began as a direct reporting unit (DRU) of DoD's USD(R&E): research and engineering.[lower-alpha 2] By design,[106] the functions for acquisition and sustainment (A&S) are the responsibility of another under secretary of defense —the USD(A&S); this separation of function decouples the technology development of a working prototype system, even the systems as complicated as those taken on by the SDA, from overcomplication induced by the processes of the DoD.[upper-alpha 7]

The SDA has relied heavily on "Section 804" Mid-Tier Acquisitions (MTAs) to avoid traditional defense procurement requirements. SDA has been able to forgo a number of reporting activities by breaking up larger programs into numerous two-year rapid fielding projects that each qualify as MTAs. Members of Congress and the Government Accountability Office have said this obfuscates costs and limits transparency. The FY23 omnibus appropriations act, signed by President Joe Biden on 29 December 2022, levies new reporting and certification requirements on the Pentagon regarding the use of MTAs and other rapid prototype programs. Industry participants such as MITRE Acquisition Chief Pete Modigliani have said the new requirements would "drastically impede DoD’s rapid acquisition abilities" for SDA and other programs.[221]

No. Director Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Duration
-
Fred Kennedy
Kennedy, Fred G. IIIFred Kennedy[246]
Acting
March 12, 2019June 2019~3 months and 3 days
-
Derek M. Tournear
Tournear, Derek M.Derek M. Tournear[247]
Acting
June 2019October 28, 2019~4 months and 13 days
1
Derek M. Tournear
Tournear, Derek M.Derek M. Tournear[247]October 28, 2019[248]Incumbent3 years, 11 months, and 28 days

See also

Notes and references

  1. The name change of the constellation from NDSA to PWSA —'proliferated warfighter space architecture'— will have no impact to the SDA mission.[75]
  2. "The OUSD(R&E) will develop critical technologies, rapidly prototype them, and conduct continuous campaigns of joint experimentation to improve on those technologies and deliver capabilities", —Hon. Heidi Shyu, head of the office of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering (OUSD(R&E)).[104][105]
  3. Tranche 0 will demonstrate the feasibility of
    • Low latency data connectivity
    • Beyond line of sight targeting
    • Missile warning/missile tracking
    • On-orbit fusion
    • Multi-phenomenology ground-based sensor fusion [34][50][77][101]
  4. Space development agency (SDA) provides the PWSA wide field of view (WFOV) sensors; Missile defense agency (MDA) provides the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) sensors, (i.e., the Medium Field of View (MFOV) sensors). The WFOV sensors provide cueing data to the MFOV sensors, which are more sensitive and provide tipping data to the earth-based interceptors.[94] as cited in USNI News.[95] Two WFOV satellites were launched as part of the inititial Tranche 0.[33]
  5. In September 2021 the Space Development Agency approved design plans for its new missile warning satellites, which will be capable of detecting and tracking hypersonic weapons.[66][49]
    • L3Harris Technologies announced that the Space Development Agency has approved the company’s proposed design for a missile tracking satellite.[67]
    • SpaceX will build 4 satellites for the Tranche 0 tracking layer.[33]
  6. In Remote Sensing, Tipping and Queuing (Cueing) is a technique for tracking and monitoring fast-moving objects, using multiple sensors of multiple modalities (for example electro-optical and radar sensors). One sensor with a wide field of view might detect, acquire, and even track an object of interest (the 'target'); that sensor would 'tip' another sensor with the tracking information for that target. The next sensor, say with point defense capability, might then take the 'cue' to narrow the tracking box around the target, to build more accurate tracking information, to tip yet another defense system, and so forth. See Automatic identification system (AIS)[93]
  7. SDA Tranche 0 planning for 2022[50][33][41][35][38][56]
  1. SDA.mil About Us
  2. "Hypersonic Missile Defense: Issues for Congress". Congressional Research Service. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  3. "Hypersonic Weapons: Issues for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  4. Brian Everstine (22 Sep 2022) Why Space Force Wants Out Of GEO, Long Development Cycles noMoreGeoSats. For the Space Force, last of the geosynchronous satellites. Gone by 2040
  5. United States Space Force "Space Development Agency transfers to USSF". United States Space Force. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  6. Audrey Decker (30 Aug 2023) SDA readies second batch of satellites for its space data network A test of Link-16
  7. Albon, Courtney (8 December 2022). "How the Space Development Agency 'could have died any number of ways'". Defense News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  8. Erwin, Sandra (21 April 2019). "Space Development Agency a huge win for Griffin in his war against the status quo". Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  9. Baucom, Donald (2004). "The Rise and Fall of Brilliant Pebbles" (PDF). The Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies. 29 (2).
  10. Freedberg, Sydney (20 August 2018). "Space-Based Missile Defense Can Be Done: DoD R&D. Chief Griffin". Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  11. Secretary of Defense Defense, Secretary of (12 March 2019). "Establishment of the Space Development Agency" (PDF). Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  12. (2022) National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC) About Us
  13. Stew Magnuson (19 September 2019) "Details of the Pentagon New Space Architecture Revealed". www.nationaldefensemagazine.org.
  14. Nathan Strout (1 Jul 2021) The Space Development Agency now has demo satellites on orbit. Here’s what they’ll do. Transporter-2: Mandrake 2, the Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS), and the Prototype On-orbit Experimental Testbed (POET). Yam-3 for data fusion. Pitboss for Autonomous mission management.
  15. Sandra Erwin (28 Sep 2023) Mynaric optical terminals selected for Northrop Grumman satellites pass key tests T1TL interop with CACI
  16. Machi, Vivienne (1 June 2021). "US Military Places a Bet on LEO for Space Security". Space Development Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  17. "Costs of Implementing Recommendations of the 2019 Missile Defense Review". Congressional Budget Office. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  18. James M. Acton (13 December 2021). "The U.S. Exit From the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty Has Fueled a New Arms Race". Carnegie Endowment. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  19. Gannon, Megan (19 August 2013). "DC-X Rocket Remembered: 'Sputnik of Commercial Space' Joins Space Hall of Fame". Space.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  20. "Space-based Missile Defense". Union of Concerned Scientists. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  21. "Statement by Deputy Head of the Russian Delegation on Outer Space Disarmament Aspects". Russian Federation to the United Nations. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  22. "Approaching the Third Rail? A Trilateral Treaty to Prohibit Space-Based Missile Defenses". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  23. "Exclusive Graphic Soviet lasers said to zap U.S. spy satellites". UPI.
  24. Popkin, Gabriel (22 January 2019). "Decades after Reagan's 'Star Wars,' Trump calls for missile defenses that would blast warheads from the sky".
  25. Sandra Erwin (21 Dec 2017) New report slams idea of a missile defense shield in space by Thomas Roberts, CSIS
  26. "2022 National Defense Strategy" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of Defense. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  27. Erwin, Sandra (December 24, 2022). "Congress adds $1.7 billion for U.S. Space Force in 2023 spending bill". SpaceNews.
  28. Foundation, Heritage (1 February 2023). "Mandate for Leadership, the Conservative Promise" (PDF). The Heritage Foundation.
  29. Erwin, Sandra (5 October 2020). "L3Harris, SpaceX win Space Development Agency contracts to build missile-warning satellites". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  30. Erwin, Sandra (14 September 2022). "Space Development Agency's first launch slips due to supply chain setbacks". Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  31. Albon, Courtney (September 14, 2022). "Space Development Agency launch delayed by supply chain, bid protests". C4ISRNet.
  32. Strout, Nathan (July 1, 2021). "The Space Development Agency now has demo satellites on orbit. Here's what they'll do". C4ISRNet.
  33. Theresa Hitchens (29 Mar 2023) Space Development Agency readies launch of first satellites for comms, missile tracking
  34. US Department of Defense (2 Apr 2023) Space Development Agency Successfully Launches Tranche 0 Satellites
  35. Courtney Albon (28 Apr 2023) How three space agencies are collaborating on next-gen missile warning
  36. Theresa Hitchens (27 Aug 2021) SDA Opens Contest For First Operational Constellation 30 Aug 2021 RFP for Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) Jan 2022
  37. Audrey Decker (4 Apr 2023) Satellite Ground Stations Are Vulnerable, US Warns
  38. Greg Hadley (5 Apr 2023) SDA’s Tournear 'Just Not' Afraid of Satellite Shootdowns. Supply Chain Is the Greater Worry.: Tranche 1 detail; T1 DES (Demonstration and Experimentation System) detail; Tranche 2 detail;
  39. Courtney Albon (10 Apr 2023) US Space Force to simplify timelines, purchases as launches surge National Security Space Launch (NSSL Phase 3) FY25 to FY34
  40. "Space Development Agency Makes Awards for 126 Satellites to Build Tranche 1 Transport Laye". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  41. Theresa Hitchens (6 Apr 2023) Space Development Agency readies first solicitation for 'global' data constellation T2TL: 212 Transport Layer satellites for launch beginning in 2026
  42. Patrick Tucker (21 Aug 2023) Lockheed, Northrop share $1.5 billion contract for new transport satellites Seventy-two satellites, which will begin launching in 2026, will be "the space backbone for the Joint All Domain Command and Control"; apparently the Beta Tranche 2 satellites.
  43. Courtney Albon (20 Oct 2023) Space Development Agency orders 62 satellites from York Space Systems Launch in 2026 for Tranche 2 Transport Layer
  44. Erwin, Sandra (2023-08-21). "Space Development Agency awards contracts to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman for 72 satellites". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  45. Theresa Hitchens (6 Sep 2023) SDA steps toward global hypersonic missile tracking, plus new targeting capability at least 54 space vehicles with IR sensors for Tranche 2 Tracking Layer
  46. TESMANIAN. "U.S. Air Force Acquisition Chief is impressed by SpaceX Starlink's performance during Live-Fire exercise". TESMANIAN. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  47. Same Skove (13 Sep 2023) Navies face 'dreadnought' moment as Ukraine destroys more Russian warships, British admiral says ' "We're once again facing something completely new, a paradigm shift", the First Sea Lord said'. Starlink satellites can be jammed.
  48. Greg Hadley (28 Feb 2022) SDA Awards $1.8 Billion in Contracts for 126 Satellites for 2024 T1TL
  49. Armament Facts (21 Jul 2022) How The New Hypersonic Weapons Tracking Constellation Will Work 16:45 minutes. 2 awards, each of 14 satellites due to launch in 2025.
  50. Theresa Hitchens (21 Jan 2020) SDA To Demo Tracking & Targeting Satellites In 2022 Tranche0 Link-16. Summary of 7-layer architecture.
  51. SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE (30 Sep 2022) HEADQUARTERS AIR FORCE MISSION DIRECTIVE 1-17 Special Management ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE (SPACE ACQUISITION AND INTEGRATION) (SAF/SQ) 20 pages
  52. Theresa Hitchens (22 Sep 2022) Space Development Agency chief clears up 'confusion' about where his agency is going "SDA Director Derek Tournear said his shop will remain its own when it formally joins the Space Force in coming weeks, giving the service another acquisition outlet." SDA and Space RCO remain direct reporting units to Frank Calvelli; SSC remains a major command of the Space Force.
  53. Erwin, Sandra (29 August 2023). "Space Development Agency's data-transport satellites get more complex, SDA's Tranche 2 Transport Layer Beta satellites will have 'direct to weapon' links". Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  54. Theresa Hitchens (21 Jun 2021) SDA Demos Spotlight Tech Hurdles To JADC2 Backbone 5 payloads: Optical link, Sat to drone
  55. Strout, Nathan (February 11, 2021). "SDA to launch several demonstration satellites in 2021". C4ISRNet.
  56. "FBO.gov has moved". fbohome.sam.gov.
  57. Theresa Hitchens (21 January 2021) Austin Signals Shift Back To Focus On Space Resilience Space Acquisition executive
  58. Sara Mineiro; (Mezher, Chyrine) (June 14, 2021). "Pentagon: Diversify Your Orbital Regimes".
  59. Greg Hadley (7 Jun 2022) Study: Combine Missile Warning, Tracking Constellations Into One Multi-Orbit System
  60. Theresa Hitchens (21 Sep 2022) Space Force phasing out missile warning from GEO, will focus on lower orbits ' "We'll do away with the GEOs, and the big, exquisite expensive satellites," said SDA Director Derek Tournear.'
  61. Colin Clark (4 Jun 2021) SecDef OKs JADC2 Strategy: Now OSD Has ‘Teeth’ Approved 13 May 2021
  62. Insinna, Valerie (June 1, 2021). "SMC, SDA Missile Warning Sat Ground Systems Won't 'Talk' - For Now".
  63. Theresa Hitchens "JROC Tags Space Force To Make Satellites Link With JADC2". June 3, 2021.
  64. battle-updates.com (8 Oct 2020) "SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE". battle-updates.com.
  65. Nathan Strout "Space Development Agency approves design for satellites that can track hypersonic weapons". Defense News. 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  66. Sandra Erwin (20 September 2021) "L3Harris' missile-tracking satellites pass early design review". SpaceNews. 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  67. SDA.mil Transport layer
  68. AUSA Warriors Corner (10.16.2019) "2019 AUSA Warriors Corner - TacticalSpace: Delivering Future Force Space Capabilities". DVIDS.
  69. Wall Street Journal (27 Oct 2022) Russia Warns of Possible Attacks on Satellites Used to Help Ukraine
  70. SDA (3 Jun 2022) SDA Seeks Industry Feedback through DRAFT Solicitation for NExT (National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) Experimental Testbed) 10 space vehicles and associated mission-enabling ground systems
  71. Theresa Hitchens (20 Jan 2023) SDA hopes SABRE sensors can slash missile testing costs by 'millions' "SDA already has a lot of interest from the Army and DoD's testing community in its Space-Based Telemetry Monitoring, Electronic Support, and Alternative Navigation (SABRE) project"
  72. Courtney Albon (4 Apr 2023) Space Development Agency enters demonstration phase after first launch
  73. C Todd Lopez (2 May 2021) On-Time Delivery Top Priority at Space Development Agency
  74. SDA (23 Jan 2023) SDA Layered Network of Military Satellites Now Known as "Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture" (PWSA— formerly known as NDSA)
  75. Theresa Hitchens (28 Oct 2021) SDA Scraps, Relaunches Data Transport Satellite Bidding After Protest Tranche 1: T1TL of Aug 2021 was rescinded: "126 satellites [each] with Ka-band space-to-ground communications link, four optical communications terminals, a Link 16 payload (which is the current standard for machine-to-machine communications link among US and allied weapon systems), and a battle management, command, control and communications (BMC3) compute and storage module"; T1TL RFP was reissued 28 Oct 2021. T1TL terms were replaced with OTA authority instead. Proposals were due 24 Nov 2021.
  76. Chris Gordon (3 Apr 2023) Speed, Cost, Performance—In That Order—Key to SDA's Successful Tranche 0 Launch, Director Says First use of Link 16 in space
  77. Andrew Eversden (28 Jun 2022) Army moves ahead with Palantir and Raytheon for next phase of TITAN
  78. Theresa Hitchens (27 May 2022) Space Development Agency taps GD-Iridium team for complex ground system
  79. Theresa Hitchens (1 Mar 2022) Budget roadblock delaying Pentagon satellite program to track hypersonic missiles $750 million in question in FY2022 budget. An alternative, Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T1DES) can be let for 18 satellites.
  80. Theresa Hitchens (6 Oct 2022) York scores SDA contract worth up to $200M for experimental communications satellites T1DES capabilities test (of UHF/S-band frequencies) using 12 satellites; provides data for a March 2023 decision on Tranche2
  81. Theresa Hitchens (18 Feb 2022) SDA awards $1.8B in contracts for first operational data transport sats Tranche 1 Transport layer (T1TL) award
  82. SDA.mil Tracking layer
  83. Courtney Albon (2 Mar 2023) Raytheon to make seven missile-tracking satellites for US space agency Tranche 1 Tracking Layer
  84. Courtney Albon (15 Mar 2022) Space Development Agency to launch next missile warning satellites earlier than expected
  85. Theresa Hitchens (18 July 2022) L3Harris, Northrop score $1.3B in SDA hypersonic missile tracking contracts
  86. David Vergun. DoD News (11 May 2022) DOD Focused on Hypersonic Missile Defense Development, Admiral Says Jon A. Hill: Planned May 2023 launch MDA/ SDA launch of interoperable hypersonic tracking satellites to track dim targets (cruise missiles)
  87. Center for Strategic & International Studies (7 Feb 2022) Complex Air Defense: Countering the Hypersonic Missile Threat Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project; Ms. Kelley Sayler, CRS; Dr. Gillian Bussey, Director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office; Dr. Mark Lewis, Executive Director of NDIA's Emerging Technologies Institute; Mr. Stan Stafira, Chief Architect at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
  88. Theresa Hitchens (7 Apr 2022) Space Force’s $1B for hypersonic missile tracking in FY23 will go to new satellites, ground systems Track Custody Prototype (TCP), and MEO satellite constellations with ground stations
  89. SDA.mil Custody layer
  90. Theresa Hitchens (10 Nov 2022) Space Development Agency asks for satellite 'battle management system' proposals "The on-board Battle Management, Command, Control and Communications (BMC3) software module will be tested on SDA's Tranche 1 Transport Layer data relay satellites"
  91. Theresa Hitchens (15 Dec 2021) NGA Gears Up For All Domain Ops references tipping and queuing of the data sensors and sources of the NGA's intelligence community
  92. Muhammad Irfan Ali (20 Jan 2021) Tip And Cue technique for efficient near-real-time satellite monitoring of moving objects
  93. Kelley M. Sayler (24 Jan 2023) Hypersonic Missile Defense: Issues for Congress IF11623
  94. USNI News (27 Jan 2023) Report to Congress on Hypersonic Missile Defense
  95. Theresa Hitchens (6 Apr 2023) SPACECOM ops head 'tired of the excuses' about satellite tracking gaps a BMC3 problem; currently solvable in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN).
  96. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs (19 Sep 2022) Air Force taps Brig. Gen. Luke Cropsey to head new integrated C3 battle management program Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management (C3BM). USAF general Cropsey will have the authorities required to ensure integration of all C3BM related programs throughout the DAF, as a core contribution to the Department of Defense's broader Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) effort. [Integrating] PEO will also have responsibility for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
  97. Michael Marrow (11 Jul 2023) 'Network-centric' security 'killing us' on JADC2 initiatives: USAF general Cropsey on C3BM
  98. Theresa Hitchens (14 Jul 2023) There goes my missile: SDA eyes new FOO Fighter missile defense 'fire control' sats " 'Fire-Control On Orbit-Support-To-The-War Fighter (FOO Fighter or F2)' program" SDA 'plans to purchase and deploy' eight F2 space vehicles carrying electro-optical/infrared sensors
  99. Courtney Albon (2 Apr 2023) SpaceX rocket launches Space Development Agency’s first satellites
  100. Theresa Hitchens (11 May 2023) Congressional concern re-emerges on fate of MDA’s hypersonic missile tracking sensors
  101. Lentz, Danny (2 September 2023). "SpaceX launches of Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  102. Erwin, Sandra (26 May 2023). "Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late June". Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  103. Justin Katz (2 Feb 2022) Pentagon developing 'National Defense Science and Technology' strategy: Memo by Hon. Heidi Shyu
  104. Jaspreet Gill (25 Jul 2023) Pentagon's R&E office stands up 3 new assistant secretaries, 8 new DASDs
  105. USD(R&E) (20 Nov 2020) DOD INSTRUCTION 5000.88: ENGINEERING OF DEFENSE SYSTEMS
  106. Valerie Insinna (11 Apr 2022) After hearing Silicon Valley complaints, Hicks says no 'magical' fix to acquisition Hicks software modernization strategy
  107. Arnold Punaro "Book Excerpt: Pruning The Acquisition Kudzu". July 29, 2021.
  108. Jaspreet Gill (21 Jul 2023) Now at a 'tipping point', Defense Innovation Unit looks to next 'phase': Scaling tech DIU to attempt to "scale... and do it quickly"
  109. Courtney Albon (8 Dec 2022) How the Space Development Agency 'could have died any number of ways' Apr 2019
  110. Aaron Mehta and Valerie Insinna (13 Mar 2019) In memo, Air Force secretary slams Space Development Agency as not ready for prime time
  111. Theresa Hitchens (7 Dec 2022) 'Compromise' NDAA boosts Space Force budget, but keeps tight reins on policy decisions Senate wants explicit waiver from OSD exempting SDA from JCIDS
  112. Greg Hadley (8 Dec 2022) Compromise NDAA; Here’s What’s in It for the Space Force The Office of the Secretary of Defense to review "whether the Space Development Agency should be exempt from the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System in order to speed overall fielding of proliferated space system".
  113. Ryan Duffy (12 Dec 2022) Lawmakers Release FY23 Compromise NDAA Bill Space Force funding summary
  114. Courtney Albon (28 Nov 2022) Millennium, Raytheon complete design review for missile warning system Missile Track Custody, in MEO
  115. Courtney Albon (13 Jan 2023) Lawmakers chart 'middle course' on space-based missile warning funding Bridging strategies for Missile warning, tracking, custody. GEO/MEO/LEO.
  116. Theresa Hitchens (27 Jul 2022) Rocket science: How Space Force acquisition works, with many players and dual hats Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) org chart. Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, is head of SSC
  117. DoD News (14 Dec 2020) What's With All the U.S. Space-Related Agencies? Manpower levels from all contributors
  118. Tobias Naegele (27 Nov 2022) Q&A: The New Chief of Space Operations on Empowering the Force Gen. B. Chance "Salty" Saltzman builds out the Force by empowering its people
  119. DoD (8 Dec 2022) Seven Nations Meet to Address Space Security CSpO Principals Board: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States met in NZ. Included: Dr. John Plumb, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy; U.S. Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations; U.S. Army GEN James H. Dickinson, Commander, United States Space Command; and Mr. Damon Wells, National Reconnaissance Office
  120. Theresa Hitchens (28 Dec 2022) At home and internationally, ‘governance’ is the space watchword: 2023 Preview Space governance
  121. Devin Coldewey (9 Jan 2023) FCC moves to form Space Bureau as its role in regulating orbit intensifies
  122. Theresa Hitchens (23 Dec 2022) In Space, baby steps and a ponderous 'pivot': 2022 in Review
  123. Jaspreet Gill (13 Jul 2022) Air Force needs more efficiency from 'raindrop' software factories: Former DoD cyber official devSecOps
  124. David Roza (14 Jun 2022) The Pentagon’s new data chief waited days just for an ID card
  125. Sandra Erwin (February 17, 2019). "Pentagon seeking proposals for how to use sensors in space to quickly target enemy missiles". SpaceNews.
  126. Mandy Mayfield (16 Apr 2020) JUST IN: Pentagon Bringing New Space Sensing Capabilities Online (UPDATED) Space Fence
  127. "Satellite Map | Explore Active Satellites Orbiting Earth". geoxc-apps.bd.esri.com.
  128. Jacqueline Feldscher (31 Mar 2022) Space Force Buys a Digital Twin of Orbital Space "Updated 'minute-by-minute', the Slingshot Aerospace tool is expected to improve training and real-world planning"
  129. Eric Berger (8 Aug 2022) Rocket Lab’s launch cadence now “100 percent” driven by market demand -Updated Western Launch Companies: United Launch Alliance, ArianeSpace, SpaceX, and Rocket Lab
  130. Courtney Albon (14 July 2023) Space Force to open launch business to a third provider
  131. Robert Johnson (19 May 2021) Parsons Lands $185M Task to Support Space Force Situational Awareness System Integrated Solutions for Situational Awareness ISSA, unclassified version
  132. airandspaceforces.com (22 Jun 2023) 2023 USAF & USSF Almanac: DAF Personnel DAF TOTAL FORCE END STRENGTH as of 30 Sep 2022 (SDA was not yet included)
  133. Courtney Albon (3 Nov 2022) Next Space Force chief should focus on resiliency, Raymond says 1st commander of USSF. Summary: SWAC worked well with 600 people.
  134. Theresa Hitchens (26 Apr 2023) Space Force wraps initial plan for building 'hybrid' commercial/military 'outernet'
  135. Courtney Albon (26 Apr 2023) The US is rethinking national security space architecture. Is it moving fast enough? 38:21 video. Col. Eric Felt; Mr. Nicholas Eftimiades
  136. Courtney Albon (26 Apr 2023) Space Force eyes 'outernet' for better data flow in orbit Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) has analyzed Transport layer needs: Col. Felt. Use mesh networking, use commercial vendors
  137. Bloomberg Quicktake: Originals (16 Jun 2022) How LeoLabs Is Using New Tech to Target Space Junk LEOLabs is focusing on the lowest 2,000 kilometers above Earth, provides an API to transmit collision avoidance (machine-to-machine API) alerts to its customers
  138. C. Todd Lopez , DOD News (21 Oct 2022) U.S. Space Command to Transfer Space Object Tracking to Department of Commerce
  139. Courtney Albon (10 Nov 2022) Why the Space Force is getting serious about on-orbit servicing
  140. Sandra Erwin (12 Nov 2022) X-37B space plane completes its sixth mission, lands after nearly 30 months in orbit Could refuel satellites, move space junk to graveyard
  141. Marcus Weisgerber (18 Apr 2023) Allies Want Space Defenses Too, US Official Says
  142. Theresa Hitchens (19 Apr 2023) Space Force, SPACECOM pushing to speed 'sustained' maneuverability on orbit "on-orbit servicing and repair, satellite refueling and space junk cleanup"
  143. Sandra Erwin (29 Aug 2023) TransAstra claims NASA contract for debris capture bag for junk
  144. Christian Davenport, (c) 2023 The Washington Post (8 Mar 2023) War in space: U.S. officials debating rules for a conflict in orbit Falcon 9 61 Launches in 2022
  145. Theresa Hitchens (15 Sep 2021) Revolutionary Tech Could Allow Near-Real Time Space Tracking, Company Says MITRE
  146. Theresa Hitchens "Theater Commands OK SDA's Sat Plans: EXCLUSIVE". April 1, 2021.
  147. Nate Turkin (28 Apr 2021) What focus areas are key to America’s future space capabilities?
  148. Le portail Sécurité et Défense du Québec "US Army network team sets timeline for satellite constellations". SDQuébec.
  149. Colin Clark (20 Mar 2019) Space Force May Not Fix Space Acquisition Mess Military space programs have to navigate a maze of 60 agencies
  150. Theresa Hitchens and Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (7 August 2019) Army Seeks Small Satellites To Support Ground Troops 3 programs: Gunsmoke, Lonestar and Polaris.
    • Theresa Hitchens (12 October 2020) SMDC Pushes For New PNT, Tracking Sat Payloads In addition to the 3 LEO satellite programs mentioned above, SMDC's technical center is working on project TITAN (Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node), a "common, mobile ground station" for the Army's tactical needs. This is part of the Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capability.
  151. Detsche Welle (27 Oct 2022) Ukraine updates: Russia threatens West's satellites
  152. Theresa Hitchens (25 Oct 2022) 24 hours to launch: Space Force, DIU kick off new 'Tactically Responsive Space' mission Space Systems Command Victus Nox → Victus Haze satellite, an in-orbit inspector of LEO satellites.
  153. Washington Headquarters Service (WHS) (2010) Plain Language Official DoD Plain Language Website — DoD Instruction 5025.13, "DoD Plain Language Program".
  154. Lolita C. Baldor and Tara Copp, AP (31 Jul 2023) Biden decides to keep Space Command in Colorado, rejecting move to Alabama
  155. AirAndSpaceForces.com (11 Oct 2022) Watch, Read: 'Accelerating Space Acquisition' Video (pre-SDA in Space Force): SpRCO, SSC talking with Calvelli (SAF/SQ) video: Calvelli; Hammett; Whitney; Purdy
  156. Courtney Albon (21 Sep 2022) Is Space Force moving fast enough for its Rapid Capabilities Office? Space RCO is DRU of "SpOC" ?
  157. Theresa Hitchens (5 Oct 2022) New Space Force team to streamline 'onboarding' new tech for operational use
  158. Theresa Hitchens (1 Nov 2022) With new 'scorecard', Space Force’s acquisition chief talks changing culture "I'm really messaging three things to industry — that I really want them to give me credible proposals, and I really want them to execute, and I'm not going to tolerate poor performance" —Frank Calvelli
  159. Courtney Albon (1 Nov 2022) Space Force's Calvelli issues acquisition 'guideposts' "nine acquisition tenets"
  160. Theresa Hitchens (25 Apr 2023) Space Force acquisition czar wraps program 'scorecard', puts floundering contractors on notice
  161. Marcus Weisgerber (1 Nov 2022) It’s Official: Space Force Sets Sights on Smaller Satellites
  162. Colin Demarest (12 Sep 2023) US Air Force prioritizing cloud-based command and control C2BC, part of CJADC2
  163. Greg Hadley (1 Aug 2023) Cropsey Wants to Keep Things Simple: 'Complexity Is Going to Kill Us'
  164. Theresa Hitchens (17 May 2023) Space Force ground control operators press for 'absolutely critical' network upgrades Overview of Satellite Control Network
  165. Theresa Hitchens (25 Sep 2023) Modern antenna for aging Satellite Control Network passes first test SpRCO Phased Array progress
  166. Sandra Erwin (17 May 2023) Space Force selects Parsons to develop ground system for missile-warning satellites Ground stations For 6 'missile warning, missile tracking, missile track custody' (MTC) satellites in MEO by 2026 --Space Systems Command
  167. Greg Hadley (17 May 2023) USAF Looks to Fill Intelligence Gaps from Space spaceBasedIsr: ISR (Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance)
  168. Thomas Gnau (18 May 2023) New Mission for Wright-Patterson: Air Force Says Base to Get New ISR Mission 76th ISR squadron in Space Delta 7, Wright Patterson AFB. 90 people
  169. Michael Marrow (23 Mar 2023) In new JADC2 overhaul, Air Force pushes all-encompassing 'DAF Battle Network' Cropsey to work with ASAFs Hunter and Calvelli, and their leads Jeffrey Valenzia and John Olson (USAF, USSF)
  170. Jaspreet Gill (19 Sep 2022) 'Decision superiority': Air Force picks 5 companies to develop ABMS digital infrastructure Calvelli gets another report, for Advanced Battle Management System (Air Force and Space Force implementation of JADC2). Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) leads the ABMS Digital Infrastructure Consortium for "secure processing, resilient communications, data management and open-architecture".
  171. Theresa Hitchens (18 Jan 2023) Space acquisition office weighs mission priorities in case satellites go down "a new program office dedicated solely to 'resiliency' "
  172. Colin Demarest (23 Sep 2022) Siemens, 29 others added to Air Force’s $950 million JADC2 contract
  173. Tobias Naegele (16 Dec 2022) Air Force Vice Chief: B-21 Not Just a Bomber, Will Mesh with JADC2, NGAD
  174. Tim Ryan Mitchell Institute (11 Jan 2023) To ensure JADC2, and to win in future conflicts, look to the transport layer in space Ground Moving Target Identification (GMTI) and Air Moving Target Identification (AMTI)
  175. Amanda Miller (3 Nov 2022) Refining the JADC2 Concept "Agreeing to share data is easy. Actually doing it is hard". —Derek M.Tournear, SDA: °First) beyond-line-of-sight targeting. "Think mobile missile launchers—think ships. Detect them. Track them. Calculate a fire control solution and send it down directly to the war fighter so they can use that in their solution"; °Second) enable that same thing 'for advanced missiles in flight'. That is, to detect and track a hypersonic glide vehicle in flight, then "calculate a fire control solution [and] send it down to an interceptor to take out that threat immediately".
  176. Theresa Hitchens (18 Jul 2023) SDA racing ahead with new, US-based satellite ground stations, could meet hiccup abroad 19 ground stations April or May 2024, for the 166 satellites of Tranche 1
  177. Courtney Albon (7 Jul 2022) US Space Force rapid capabilities office to deliver first project this year Kelly Hammett directs Space RCO. Space RCO is colocated with Space Systems Command’s Innovation and Prototyping Delta, and Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate
  178. Theresa Hitchens (29 Jun 2022) New Space Force acquisition exec eschews more reorganization Frank Calvelli
  179. Theresa Hitchens (28 Jun 2021) Loft Orbital’s ‘Rideshare’ Sats: Take An Uber To Space Yam-2, Yam-3
  180. Theresa Hitchens (1 Jul 2021) SMC Eyes MEO Sats For Missile Tracking Raytheon & Boeing Millennium Systems are designing digital prototypes which are in Critical design review (CDR) by Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) for launch to MEO in late 2022. Missile Track Custody Prototype (TCD)
  181. Sandra Erwin (4 Jan 2023) Raytheon selects Lockheed Martin bus for U.S. Space Force missile-tracking satellite "Raytheon's infrared sensing payload will be integrated on a Lockheed Martin LM400" 2026 launch
  182. Theresa Hitchens (20 Oct 2023) Space Force plans next MEO missile tracking satellite awards by early 2025 spiral development of "MEO missile warning/tracking" in 3 epochs
  183. Nathan Strout (29 Nov 2021) Raytheon acquires SEAKR Engineering
  184. Marjorie Censer (18 Dec 2022) L3Harris moves to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.7 billion, after Lockheed Martin ended its attempt for Rocketdyne in Feb 2022
  185. Nathan Strout (3 May 2020) SEAKR moving forward with DARPA’s Pit Boss project
  186. Theresa Hitchens (15 Jun 2020) DARPA’s Blackjack Jumps Forward With Payload, Bus, Demo Awards
  187. Theresa Hitchens (15 Mar 2023) Project Blackjack: DARPA’s test of satellite laser links delayed
  188. Theresa Hitchens (9 Jul 2021) Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop 50 to 55 contracts by year-end 2021
  189. Tony Capaccio (10 Jul 2021) Pentagon Sees China’s Offensive Space Technology ‘On the March’ Jamming, dazzling, kinetic kill
  190. Theresa Hitchens (16 Jul 2021) NTS-3, Aiming To Improve On GPS, Starts Integration Tests In August Toolkit of PWSA techniques
  191. Nathan Strout (29 Jul 2021) Space Force launches small satellite to test new sensor possibilities 6U vs 12U bus
  192. CTO Advanced Capabilities (2021) Advanced Capabilities Roles
  193. Theresa Hitchens "OCX On Track, Says Raytheon; Begins New Upgrade". May 5, 2021. OCX See GPS signals
  194. Loren Blinde "Raytheon I&S wins GPS OCX contract". May 6, 2021.
  195. Barry Rosenberg (20 Aug 2021) Next-Gen GPS Satellites Get Ground-Control Modernization control segment: OCX 3F
  196. gps.gov (updated 9 Dec 2021) "GPS.gov: Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX)". www.gps.gov. (PB2022) Exhibit R-2A, RDT&E Project Justification: PB 2022 Air Force Presidential budget justification for OCX activities
  197. Michael Marrow (27 Sep 2022) Space Force sees another schedule slip for OCX delivery, risking GPS IIIF delay on IOC of Apr 2023: "OCX will replace the legacy Global Positioning System ground control apparatus as the Space Force plans the launch of a new series of GPS satellites"
  198. Courtney Albon (9 Jun 2023) Space Force sees further delays to 'troubled' GPS ground segment slip to year-end 2023
  199. Courtney Albon (3 May 2023) Raytheon, Lockheed to compete for Space Force satellite ground system Ground Resilient Integration and Framework for Operational Nuclear Command, Control and Communication system (GRIFFON)
  200. Marcus Weisgerber (4 May 2023) Lockheed Reorganizes Its Space Division, Adding Plans to Sell Satellite Parts to Other Companies. Lockheed National Security Space "combine[s] its military space unit, which builds satellites; its special programs division for classified work; and its mission solutions unit, which connects the satellites to the military and intelligence community".
  201. Theresa Hitchens (6 Dec 2022) NGA’s Stardust will modernize Earth models for GPS, mapping Geomatics
  202. Theresa Hitchens (1 Jul 2022) Experimental missile warning satellite will test tech for Space Force use in multiple orbits WFOV to GEO, for OPIR
  203. Nathan Strout (6 Aug 2021) Northrop Grumman, Ball Aerospace clear milestone for missile warning payload Next Gen Overhead Persistent Infrared to replace SBIRS
  204. Colin Clark "SASC Frets DoD Missile Warning Satellite Efforts May Be Flailing". September 28, 2021.
  205. Theresa Hitchens (11 Nov 2021) MDA: Hypersonic missile tracking prototypes on point for 2023 launch "What happens after the HBTSS prototype demonstrations, however, is yet to be determined"
  206. PEO, BMC3 (Apr 2023) BATTLE MANAGEMENT COMMAND, CONTROL & COMMUNICATIONS
  207. Tara Copp (9 Aug 2021) Hypersonic Missile Defense May Depend on Low Earth Orbit Satellites PIRPL
  208. THERESA HITCHENS and JASPREET GILL (21 Jun 2023) SAIC to build software app factory for Space Development Agency
  209. Theresa Hitchens (20 Aug 2021) Exclusive: Pentagon Poised To Unveil, Demonstrate Classified Space Weapon to shoot down satellites —John Hyten
  210. Theresa Hitchens (30 Jun 2023) Space Force chief seeks to 'shift mindset' to defend Joint Force on the ground "While important, a narrow focus on protecting space capabilities disregards how U.S. strategic competitors are preparing to use their own space capabilities to find, target, and attack forces operating in the terrestrial domains" —USSF Gen. Chance Saltzman
  211. Tim Martin (17 Jul 2023) Space Force should offer European allies protection from anti-satellite attacks: Saltzman
  212. Therese Hitchens (15 Dec 2022) 'Huge, huge problem': DoD space policy chief says over-classification harming allied advantage
  213. Tariq Malik (22 Jan 2022) You can watch SpaceX launch more than four dozen Starlink internet satellites tonight. Here's how.
  214. Daviscourt, Joshua (28 June 2021). "COTS and Space-based Missile Defense". United States Air Force. Retrieved 1 December 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  215. RevModPhys2004 "An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives". National Research Council. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  216. Barton, David K.; Falcone, Roger; Kleppner, Daniel; Lamb, Frederick K.; Lau, Ming K.; Lynch, Harvey L.; Moncton, David; Montague, David; Mosher, David E.; Priedhorsky, William; Tigner, Maury; Vaughan, David R. (5 October 2004). "Report of the American Physical Society Study Group on Boost-Phase Intercept Systems for National Missile Defense: Scientific and Technical Issues". Reviews of Modern Physics. 76 (3): S1–S424. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.76.S1. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  217. Theresa Hitchens (24 Aug 2021) "Kendall To Announce Space Acquisition Shake Up". August 24, 2021.
  218. Marcus Weisgerber (24 Aug 2021) "Air Force's Kendall Creates Space Acquisition Office, Accelerates Absorption of Space Development Agency". Defense One.
  219. Proposed budget FY21 "(FY2021 budget justification) Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Space Force (FY20) Proposed Budget Exhibit R-2, RDT&E Budget Item Justification: PB 2021 Air Force" (PDF).
  220. Theresa Hitchens (6 Feb 2023) Oversight or overkill? DoD faces new congressional order to detail Mid-Tier Acquisitions "While lawmakers worry over lack of oversight, MITRE's Pete Modilgiani tells Breaking Defense, 'The Middle Tier of Acquisition [MTA] pathway is one of DoD's most valuable tools to rapidly deliver capabilities ... to deter China’s threat' ".
  221. Sandra Erwin (29 Sep 2023) Space Development Agency funds demonstration of satellite laser links in 'degraded' environments GAES to deliver 'Manhattan' terminals by Dec 2024
  222. Theresa Hitchens (11 Nov 2022) Space Development Agency missile tracking data will inform NC3 "While the timeframe for certifying SDA's Tracking Layer as part of the nuclear attack sensor network remains unclear, SDA Director Derek Tournear said there is 'plenty of time' to get it done". SBIRS and next-gen OPIR satellites are already ITWAA-certified. 2025-26 time frame.
  223. Nathan Strout (27 Aug 2021) New hypersonic missile-tracking satellites pass critical design review for Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) prototypes
  224. Theresa Hitchens (4 Jan 2023) Space Force Missile Track Custody prototype effort moves to hardware stage 2 awards: to Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S), and to Boeing’s Millennium Space Systems. Satellites in MEO by 2026.
  225. Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg (7 Jun 2023) "Silent Barker": US Spy Satellite To Counter Russia, China Threats a constellation in geosynchronous orbit. NRO/USSF
  226. Cortney Albon (10 Sep 2023) Space Force, NRO launch 'Silent Barker' space observation satellites Observation Sats for tracking objects in geosynchronous orbit
  227. Theresa Hitchens (12 Jun 2023) Top-level study on Intel Community, Space Force satellite control coming soon NRO/USSF/DNI/DoD
  228. Courtney Albon (6 Apr 2023) US Space Force's responsive space strategy taking shape Tactically responsive space strategy: Millennium to build (8 months), Firefly to launch (24 hours after build is complete)
  229. Audrey Decker (10 Apr 2023) Three Years or Less: The Space Force's New "Simple Formula" to Go Fast Calvelli constraints on NRE, fixed price contracts
  230. Theresa Hitchens (15 Apr 2021) Antennas: The hard physics challenge for Space Force ‘hybrid’ SATCOM plan TITAN seeks "SATCOM signals from constellations in LEO, MEO and GEO"
  231. Breaking Defense (24 Oct 2022) TITAN is a thing of great strength, intellect, and importance: For the Army, it’s all that for JADC2 "A tactical ground station that finds and tracks threats to support long-range precision targeting, TITAN promises to bring together data from ground, air, and space sensors".
  232. Theresa Hitchens (21 Nov 2022) SDA ponders signal, tech trade-offs for alternate GPS satellite payloads "SDA is considering signals different to GPS, but offered within the same frequency bands. If SDA’s military PNT service is located within the existing GPS frequency bands, it will minimize integration cost of new antenna systems on terrestrial weapon systems". Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT)
  233. Theresa Hitchens (12 Sep 2023) Space Force prototypes new 'integrated' Deltas for readiness boost For 1 year, SpOC is prototyping 2 Integrated Mission Deltas (IMDs): 1 for electronic warfare, 1 for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT). SpOC is the operations side of USSF; SSC is for acquisition and sustainment
  234. C4ISRNET staff (16 Dec 2022) Space imaging company Maxar agrees to $6.4 billion takeover by Advent International. Maxar to remain in Westminster, Colorado. 4400 employees
  235. Theresa Hitchens (19 Dec 2022) SES launches O3b mPower satellites, eyeing government, defense sectors Satellite uses 5000 digitally formed beams, each tuned to a different sovereign user. 2 satellites launched into MEO, 11 satellites planned
  236. Stephen Chen, SCMP (24 Feb 2023) China aims to launch nearly 13,000 satellites to 'suppress' Elon Musk’s Starlink, researchers say in near-Earth orbit
  237. Sam Bresnick (8 Aug 2023) China's rapid space launch advantage, and how the US can try to counter it —Tactically responsive space launch (TRSL): "China has now passed the United States in its tactically responsive space launch capabilities", says the Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
  238. Aaron Mehta, ed. (6 January 2022) 2021-2022 Military Space Survey 26 pages
  239. Sandra Erwin (1 Feb 2023) Space Development Agency issues draft solicitation for 72 satellites beta 2026 Tranche 2 Transport Layer: "The Space Development Agency is planning a new procurement of 72 satellites to continue to build out a military constellation in low Earth orbit". Part of a 216 satellite tranche. 6 orbital planes.
  240. Joshua Hartman, GEOST (4 Jan 2023) It’s time to rethink how to get the most out of a Space Domain Awareness architecture
  241. Eric Berger (14 Nov 2022) The first cubesat to fly and operate at the Moon has successfully arrived cislunar Cubesat
  242. Theresa Hitchens (17 Nov 2022) 'Critically important': New White House strategy for cislunar research echoes Space Force
  243. Millennium Space Systems (1 Nov 2022) U.S. Space Force Tetra-1 launches to GEO built for Space Systems Command under OTA
  244. "Dr. Fred G. Kennedy III". www.defense.gov.
  245. "Dr. Fred G. Kennedy III". www.defense.gov.
  246. "Derek M. Tournear, Ph.D." www.defense.gov.
  247. "Derek Tournear named permanent director of the Space Development Agency". SpaceNews. October 28, 2019.
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