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U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)

US
gov defenseFounded 2019
United States
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

GA-EMS is partnering with the Space Development Agency (SDA) to conduct a series of experiments using LINCS to demonstrate optical communication in and from space.

Mentioned as: Space Development AgencyOrg RelationshipJun 7, 2021General Atomics EMS’ LINCS Smallsats Now Reside @ Cape Canaveral Awaiting SpaceX Launch

The Space Development Agency aims to launch 20 Transport Layer satellites in 2022 and up to 150 satellites in 2024.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipJun 2, 2021DoD space agency to launch laser communications experiments on SpaceX rideshare

GA-EMS and the Space Development Agency are partnering to launch the LINCS system and conduct a series of experiments demonstrating space-based optical communication starting later this summer.

Mentioned as: Space Development AgencyTechnical ProductJun 2, 2021Space-To-Air Optical Comms Experiment Partners General Atomics With The SDA

The Space Development Agency will use the cubesats to test optical crosslinks and communication between satellites and a pilotless MQ-9 Reaper made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipJun 2, 2021DoD space agency to launch laser communications experiments on SpaceX rideshare

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) was awarded a contract by the Space Development Agency (SDA) to demonstrate space-to-air optical communication using GA-EMS’ Laser Interconnect and Networking Communication System (LINCS) and a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipJun 2, 2021Space-To-Air Optical Comms Experiment Partners General Atomics With The SDA

Mike Butterfield is the optical communications lead at the Space Development Agency and regards manufacturing interoperable optical terminals as a concern for a proliferated LEO architecture.

Mentioned as: Space Development AgencyTechnical ProductJun 2, 2021DoD space agency to launch laser communications experiments on SpaceX rideshare

The Space Development Agency plans to use optical terminals with 2.5 gigabit-per-second bandwidth for the Transport Layer.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipJun 2, 2021DoD space agency to launch laser communications experiments on SpaceX rideshare

The Space Development Agency is preparing to launch the first batch of its Transport Layer satellites and to procure up to 150 satellites planned to launch in 2024.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

The Pentagon is seeking $936,700,000 in 2022 for the Space Development Agency, about a $600,000,000 increase from 2021.

Mentioned as: the space development agencyNarrative GeneralMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

The SDA 2022 request includes $808,800,000 for research, development, testing and evaluation, $53,800,000 for operations and maintenance, and $74,000,000 for procurement.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Technical ProductMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

Tracking Layer Tranche 1 satellites are not funded in the Space Development Agency’s 2021-10-01 request.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

Nearly $900,000,000 of the 2021-10-01 defense budget request is for the Space Development Agency’s communications network in low-Earth orbit known as the Transport Layer.

Mentioned as: Space Development AgencyTechnical ProductMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

The SDA 2022 request funds the demonstration of SDA’s first 28 satellites, consisting of 20 Transport Layer Tranche 0 satellites and eight wide-field-of-view Tracking Layer Tranche 0 space sensors.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

2021-10-01 is the first time the Space Development Agency receives a separate funding line for procurement.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Narrative GeneralMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

The 2022 funds would allow the Space Development Agency to start acquiring Transport Layer Tranche 1 satellites.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 30, 2021DoD agencies to invest more than $1 billion in low-Earth orbit space technologies

DoD consolidated some organizations under the Space Force while creating the Space Development Agency and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office to quickly develop new systems.

Mentioned as: Space Development AgencyTechnical ProductMay 24, 2021Space Force warned to avoid past mistakes as it pursues new satellite acquisitions

York Space Systems is building communications satellites for the Pentagon’s Space Development Agency under a $94,000,000 contract awarded in 2020.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 18, 2021York to quadruple smallsat manufacturing capacity with new facility

Tyvak supplies small satellite buses to Lockheed Martin, which won a contract from the U.S. Defense Department’s Space Development Agency to provide 10 communications satellites.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 17, 2021Tyvak satellite on SpaceX rideshare mission carries tiny space telescope

The Space Development Agency planned to issue an RFP to procure Transport Layer Tranche 1 satellites in 2021-07-01.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 13, 2021Mynaric Names A New + Highly Experienced VP Of Strategic Solutions

Each satellite in the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer Tranche 1 constellation is planned to feature between three and five optical terminals.

Mentioned as: U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)Org RelationshipMay 13, 2021Mynaric Names A New + Highly Experienced VP Of Strategic Solutions
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