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The Space Development Agency plans to launch its first 28 satellites to low Earth orbit in fall 2022, consisting of 20 satellites for a mesh communications network called the Transport Layer and eight missile-detecting sensor satellites for the Tracking Layer.
This launch is the first successful launch of Space Development Agency payloads since the agency was established in 2019.
The Space Development Agency aims to launch 20 Transport Layer satellites in 2022 and up to 150 satellites in 2024.
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.
The Space Development Agency was established in 2019 and plans to deploy a network of low-orbiting satellites by 2022 using commercial products from nontraditional suppliers.
The Space Development Agency and the Missile Defense Agency plan to launch a Prototype Infrared Payload made by Northrop Grumman as a medium field-of-view multispectral sensor.
The Space Development Agency intends to launch the Tracking Layer Tranche 0 satellites in late 2022.
Space Development Agency intends to launch the eight Tracking Layer Tranche 0 satellites in fall 2022.
The Space Development Agency acquired 28 satellites that it plans to launch in 2022.
The Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer spacecraft carry overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) sensors that are the most expensive part of the satellite.
The Space Development Agency plans to deploy hundreds more Transport Layer satellites beyond the initial 20.
The Space Development Agency awarded the first major contracts for a Transport Layer Tranche 0 constellation of communications satellites on 2020-08-31.
The Space Development Agency included in a request for proposals that optical inter-satellite links are one of the most critical technologies required to be demonstrated for Tranche 0.
The tracking phenomenology experiment is an initial step in the Space Development Agency’s plan to deploy a large constellation of low-orbiting satellites in 2022 to detect and track maneuvering hypersonic missiles.
The Space Development Agency is soliciting bids and drafting plans to launch satellites to identify targets, track advanced missiles, and share the information gathered.
The Space Development Agency plans to expand the transport layer so that by 2024 it provides regional coverage with hundreds of satellites and by 2026 it provides global coverage.
The $75,000,000 approved for Space Development Agency technology prototyping is $10,000,000 less than requested.
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.
A year-long effort led by Patrick Shanahan and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin is creating a new Space Development Agency to accelerate innovation and develop next-generation military space systems.
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.