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 Pentagon’s 2020 budget requested nearly $150,000,000 to get the Space Development Agency off the ground, including $44,700,000 for personnel, $20,000,000 for space research and development, and $85,000,000 for space technology prototyping.
The bulk of the Space Development Agency’s funding is intended to build a 250-satellite or larger communications network that would support a missile defense constellation and other low-orbit capabilities.
The Space Development Agency’s goal is to have working tracking-layer satellites by 2024.
The Space Development Agency requests $1,000,000 in 2021 and $451,000,000 over five years for a deterrence layer to fund deployment of a six-satellite constellation by 2023 growing to more than 30 satellites by 2025.
The Space Development Agency requests $61,000,000 in 2021 and $1,400,000,000 over five years for a support layer to help fund the procurement of about 40 launches, either dedicated rockets or rideshares, needed to deploy SDA-built and partner organization constellations.
The Space Development Agency requests $10,000,000 in 2021 and $56,000,000 over five years for a battle management layer to support software development and upgrades of sensor-to-shooter data products.
The Space Development Agency plans to start the transport layer with about 20 satellites in 2022 and grow to more than 250 satellites by 2025.
The Space Development Agency’s $582,000,000 five-year baseline funding is to develop roadmaps for current DoD space programs, fund studies and sensor prototypes for the missile defense tracking layer, and fund studies on space-based interceptors and space-based discrimination.
The Space Development Agency’s draft budget plans most funding in 2024 and 2025 with allocations of $259,000,000 in fiscal year 2021, $1,080,000,000 in 2022, $1,920,000,000 in 2023, $3,670,000,000 in 2024, and $3,680,000,000 in 2025.
The Space Development Agency requests $10,000,000 in 2021 and $56,000,000 over five years for a navigation layer to develop alternative positioning, navigation, and timing services to supplement GPS, potentially using transport layer communications signals.
The Space Development Agency plans a mesh network called the transport layer of more than 250 satellites to provide global communications services to the U.S. military.
The Space Development Agency splits its five-year budget into $582,000,000 in baseline funding for studies and roadmaps and $10,600,000,000 for research, development, prototyping, testing, and deployment of satellite constellations called layers.
The House Appropriations Committee reduced the Space Development Agency’s 2020 personnel funding request to $26,800,000 and cut the prototyping technology request to $35,000,000 while fully funding the $20,000,000 request for R&D.
The Space Development Agency plans to study the possibility of developing a space maneuvering vehicle to be deployed to cislunar orbits.
The Space Development Agency intends to develop and deploy satellites and payloads in two-year cycles and to use commercially available technology as much as possible.
The Space Development Agency’s draft budget request covers fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
Senate appropriators approved $149,700,000 for the Space Development Agency while House appropriators approved $81,800,000 for the agency.
The House Appropriations Committee cut the Space Development Agency personnel funding request to $26,800,000 and cut the prototyping technology request to $35,000,000 while fully funding the $20,000,000 request for research and development.
The Space Development Agency considered deploying two satellites in highly elliptical orbits to monitor cislunar space for the deterrence layer.
The Space Development Agency’s transport layer is defined as a mesh network of satellites in low Earth orbit intended to provide global communications.