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 Department of Defense’s Space Development Agency is seeking ways to rapidly acquire Earth observation data.
The Space Development Agency has focused primarily on acquiring satellites more quickly, in greater quantity, and at lower prices than the Defense Department has traditionally paid.
The Space Development Agency is soliciting proposals for the ground architecture to support Transport Layer Tranche 1, including constellation management, mission management, and network management.
The Space Development Agency plans to announce contracts for Transport Layer Tranche 1 by the end of the month.
Lockheed Martin and York Space Systems won Space Development Agency contracts in 2020 to produce 10 satellites apiece for SDA’s Transport Layer Tranche 0.
The Space Development Agency intends to buy 28 missile-tracking satellites for the Tracking Layer Tranche 1.
The Space Development Agency took over the experiment originally developed for DARPA and renamed it POET.
A data processor launched to orbit by the Space Development Agency performed an early demonstration of autonomous data fusion in space.
TESAT’s ConLCT80 Optical Communication Terminal is compliant with the Space Development Agency OCT standard V3.0 and can be delivered off the shelf.
TESAT is providing OCTs for four different U.S. spacecraft primes in support of the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer and Tracking Layer.
The Space Development Agency plans to work with multiple laser communications vendors to deploy a large constellation of data-relay satellites in low Earth orbit.
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems launched the Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS) experiment for the Space Development Agency on 2022-06-30.
Each satellite in the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer Tranche 1 is expected to carry between three and five optical terminals.
The Space Development Agency is selecting as many as three prime contractors to build 144 satellites for the Transport Layer Tranche 1.
CACI has been in active discussions with spacecraft manufacturers that are planning to build satellites for the Space Development Agency.
The Space Development Agency plans a military megaconstellation that could number close to 1,000 spacecraft by 2026.
The Space Development Agency plans bulk orders of approximately 150 satellites every two years to maintain a domestic supplier base.
The Space Development Agency plans to launch its first batch of low Earth orbit satellites in 2022.
The Space Development Agency is developing a low Earth orbit data transport layer intended to be part of the larger Department of Defense and possibly commercial satellite architecture.
The Space Development Agency will merge with the U.S. Space Force later in 2022.