The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) is a U.S. Space Force direct-reporting unit focused on the rapid deployment of space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter. It aims to achieve this through the development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a threat-driven constellation of small satellites in low Earth orbit. SDA's key focus areas include military data and communications connectivity, missile tracking, and development of a resilient space architecture, working with partners like Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and York Space Systems. Their work supports terrestrial missions and enhances warfighter lethality, maneuverability, and survivability.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Space Development Agency’s transport layer is intended to communicate targeting solutions to 90 percent of currently fielded weapon systems.
The Space Development Agency plans to purchase ground systems from commercial providers and likely lease time on commercial ground stations for demonstrations.
The Space Development Agency projected the deterrence layer would have a limited capability by 2026 or 2028.
The Space Development Agency plans to procure hundreds of satellites and discussed building one satellite per week in production for many years into the future.
The Space Development Agency intends to work with multiple contractors and will not rely on a single vendor to build out a single layer.
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to approve a 2020 budget for the Space Development Agency that included $44,700,000 for personnel, $20,000,000 for space research and development, and $85,000,000 for space technology prototyping.
The Space Development Agency plans to buy satellite buses directly from commercial vendors or use buses that DARPA is acquiring for the Blackjack program.
The Space Development Agency planned to test the transport and tracking layers over the next two years and enter production in 2022 with a goal of an operational system by 2024.
Derek Tournear was named acting director of the Space Development Agency on 2019-06-24.
The Space Development Agency operated with a skeleton crew of 27 civilian government workers and staff contractors led by acting director Derek Tournear.
The Space Development Agency released a Request for Information on 2019-07-01 that generated 150 responses from industry.
The Space Development Agency plans to integrate its layers into the ground enterprise being developed by the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center for command and control of military satellites.
The Space Development Agency considered deploying the tracking layer at altitudes of 1,000 to 1,500 km instead of 400 to 500 km to provide global coverage with fewer satellites.
The Pentagon’s 2020 budget request included nearly $150,000,000 to grow the Space Development Agency to approximately 100 engineers, scientists, and support contractors by the following year.
The Space Development Agency planned to issue Broad Area Announcements asking contractors to bid for specific technology demonstrations before the end of 2019.
The Senate appropriators funded the Pentagon’s full request for the Space Development Agency by approving $44,700,000 for SDA staff in the Defense Wide Operations and Maintenance account.
The House Appropriations Committee cut the Space Development Agency Operations and Maintenance funding to $26,800,000.
The subcommittee’s position on providing funding for the Space Development Agency remains unclear, while the Department of Defense requested $105,000,000 for SDA to develop a next-generation space architecture and $44,800,000 for SDA operating costs.
In March, the Department of Defense established the Space Development Agency to help design a new space architecture that takes advantage of commercial technology.
The Department of Defense requested $149,000,000 for the Space Development Agency in fiscal year 2020.