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 plans to hire about 20 people in the current fiscal year focusing on technically sophisticated space personnel.
The Space Development Agency plans to identify commercial vendors producing hundreds or thousands of satellites and procure a couple hundred satellites off commercial production lines.
The Space Development Agency expressed uncertainty whether payload builders can deliver 200 infrared cameras at production cadence for a hypersonic tracking layer.
The Space Development Agency expects bus manufacturers to be able to provide on the order of 200 satellite vehicles for an initial production cadence.
The Space Development Agency does not plan to attempt to replace the Space and Missile Systems Center immediately and considers any replacement discussion relevant to 2030 or 2040.
Mike Griffin and Fred Kennedy recommended that the Space Development Agency build a large constellation of small satellites in low Earth orbit described as a proliferated LEO transport layer.
The Pentagon requested $85,000,000 in 2020 for Space Development Agency space technology development and prototyping.
The Pentagon requested $15,000,000 in 2020 to develop transport layer architecture and standards for the Space Development Agency.
The Pentagon requested $44,800,000 for Space Development Agency staffing in 2020.
The Pentagon requested $10,000,000 in 2020 for commercial procurement of space situational awareness services and launch of small satellites in low Earth orbit for the Space Development Agency.
An additional $306,000,000 of the 2020 space budget proposal is for standing up U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command and the Space Development Agency.
The Pentagon plans to stand up a Space Development Agency in 2020 under the authority of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.
The Pentagon requested $20,000,000 in 2020 to develop a proliferated low Earth orbit sensor network for the Space Development Agency.
The Pentagon requested $30,000,000 in 2020 for LEO missile warning ground integration for the Space Development Agency.
The Pentagon requested $15,000,000 in 2020 for a space-based discrimination assessment for the Space Development Agency.
The Pentagon requested $15,000,000 in 2020 for a space-based interceptors study for the Space Development Agency.
Fred Kennedy, via the Blackjack program and the Space Development Agency, has provided significant funding for smallsat efforts to date.
The Space Development Agency's transport layer will consist of a large number of mass-produced small satellites with multiple inter-satellite cross-links and redundant space-to-ground links networked to provide global, persistent, low-latency data transfer.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and some lawmakers challenged Department of Defense leaders to justify creating the Space Development Agency given existing DoD organizations developing next-generation space technologies.
The Space Development Agency will develop a proliferated sensor data and communications transport layer in Low Earth orbit.