Space Development Agency

The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a directorate of the United States Department of Defense's office of the under secretary of defense for research and engineering (OUSD (R&E)) which supports space development in the interests of U.S. national security. By design,[1] the functions for acquisition and sustainment (A&S) are the responsibility of another under secretary of defense; this separation of function decouples the technology development of a working prototype system, even the systems as complicated as those taken on by the SDA, from overcomplication induced by the processes of the DoD.[56]

Space Development Agency
SDA logo

SDA headquarters, the Pentagon
Agency overview
FormedMarch 12, 2019 (2019-03-12)
TypeDepartment of Defense Agency
HeadquartersThe Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, US
38.871°N 77.056°W / 38.871; -77.056
Motto
  • Semper Citius
  • (Latin: "Always Faster")
Agency executives
  • Derek Tournear, Director
  • Ryan C. Frigm, Deputy Director
Parent departmentU.S. Department of Defense
Parent agencyUnder Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Websitewww.sda.mil
Part of a series on the
United States Space Program
Human spaceflight programs
Robotic spaceflight programs
NASA Astronaut Corps
Spaceports
Eastern Range
Space launch vehicles
National security space
Civil space
Commercial space industry

The SDA was created in 2019[57] to implement the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA).[27] The SDA plans to transfer to the United States Space Force around October 2022, although details are still uncertain.[58]

Earth's satellites in: Low Earth orbit— LEO (blue); Medium Earth orbit— MEO (green); Cislunar distances (red): If one were to hold a blue marble out at arm's length, one would see Earth's size and shape from the perspective of the astronauts travelling to the Moon.

Projects and research
Transport layer[59] of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA)

Among the SDA projects:

  • "Optical communications between satellites, and from satellites to a military drone aircraft".[20][21][8][27] Including Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS).
  • Provide a resilient, persistent response to ballistic missile detection[5][22][19]
  • Build the JADC2[60] satellite backbone[4][18] using the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA)[61][15]
    • The satellite constellations are in near-polar low Earth orbit.[62] Hundreds of satellites are expected by the end of the 2020s.[27] "Would you be able to take out some of these satellites? Probably. Would you be able to take out all of these satellites? Probably not, before you are going to have a really bad day."—Derek Tournear[24]: min -2:10 before the end of the video clip 
    • Rapid response launch proliferated C2[63][64][19][51][65]
      1. User equipment (Earth stations and weapon systems)[24]
      2. Transport layer intersatellite data[62] Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL):[59] T1TL forms a mesh network in a constellation of small satellites in Low earth orbit (LEO). SDA may have awarded 3 contracts totalling $1.8 billion to 3 firms, each for 42 satellites to be launched by September 2024.[59][65] However, there is still a funding constraint in the FY2022 budget.[66][67]
      3. Tracking layer handles launched items,[68] connects to existing user equipment[61][66]
      4. Custody layer[53] handles items not yet launched from objects as big as a truck,[69] connects to existing user equipment[61]
      5. Battle management ("autonomy, tipping and queuing and data fusion")[61][70][7]
      6. Navigation layer is not finalized, provides navigation & launch data[61]
      7. Deterrence layer is situational awareness of cislunar space vehicles[61]
  • September 2021 – The Space Development Agency has approved design plans for its new missile warning satellites, which will be capable of detecting and tracking hypersonic weapons. [71]
  • L3Harris Technologies announced that the Space Development Agency has approved the company’s proposed design for a missile tracking satellite.[72]

List of directors
No. Director Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Duration
-
Kennedy, Fred G. IIIFred Kennedy[74]
Acting		March 12, 2019June 2019~3 months and 3 days
-
Tournear, Derek M.Derek M. Tournear[57]
Acting		June 2019October 28, 2019~4 months and 13 days
1
Tournear, Derek M.Derek M. Tournear[57]October 28, 2019[75]Incumbent2 years, 5 months, and 22 days

References
    1. "USD(R&E) (20 Nov 2020) DOD INSTRUCTION 5000.88: ENGINEERING OF DEFENSE SYSTEMS" (PDF).
    2. Valerie Insinna (11Apr 2022) After hearing Silicon Valley complaints, Hicks says no ‘magical’ fix to acquisition
    3. "Book Excerpt: Pruning The Acquisition Kudzu". July 29, 2021.
    4. Insinna, Valerie (June 1, 2021). "SMC, SDA Missile Warning Sat Ground Systems Won't 'Talk' - For Now".
    5. "FBO.gov has moved". fbohome.sam.gov.
    6. Sandra Erwin (February 17, 2019). "Pentagon seeking proposals for how to use sensors in space to quickly target enemy missiles". SpaceNews.
    7. Theresa Hitchens (21 Jan 2021) SDA To Demo Tracking & Targeting Satellites In 2022 Tranche0 Link-16
    8. Strout, Nathan (February 11, 2021). "SDA to launch several demonstration satellites in 2021". C4ISRNet.
    9. Mandy Mayfield (16 Apr 2020) JUST IN: Pentagon Bringing New Space Sensing Capabilities Online (UPDATED) Space Fence
    10. ESRI app, Satellite Map
    11. (31 Mar 2022) Space Force Buys a Digital Twin of Orbital Space "Updated 'minute-by-minute', the Slingshot Aerospace tool is expected to improve training and real-world planning"
    12. Robert Johnson (19 May 2021) Parsons Lands $185M Task to Support Space Force Situational Awareness System Integrated Solutions for Situational Awareness ISSA, unclassified version
    13. Theresa Hitchens (15 Sep 2021) Revolutionary Tech Could Allow Near-Real Time Space Tracking, Company Says MITRE
    14. "Theater Commands OK SDA's Sat Plans: EXCLUSIVE". April 1, 2021.
    15. "SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE". battle-updates.com.
    16. Nate Turkin (28 Apr 2021) What focus areas are key to America’s future space capabilities?
    17. "US Army network team sets timeline for satellite constellations". SDQuébec.
    18. "JROC Tags Space Force To Make Satellites Link With JADC2". June 3, 2021.
    19. Mezher, Chyrine (June 14, 2021). "Pentagon: Diversify Your Orbital Regimes".
    20. Theresa Hitchens (21 Jun 2021) SDA Demos Spotlight Tech Hurdles To JADC2 Backbone 5 payloads: Optical link, Sat to drone
    21. Theresa Hitchens (21 January 2021) Austin Signals Shift Back To Focus On Space Resilience Space Acquisition executive
    22. Colin Clark (20 Mar 2019) Space Force May Not Fix Space Acquisition Mess Military space programs have to navigate a maze of 60 agencies
    23. "2019 AUSA Warriors Corner - TacticalSpace: Delivering Future Force Space Capabilities". DVIDS.
    24. Theresa Hitchens (28 Jun 2021) Loft Orbital’s ‘Rideshare’ Sats: Take An Uber To Space Yam-2, Yam-3
    25. Theresa Hitchens (1 Jul 2021) SMC Eyes MEO Sats For Missile Tracking Raytheon & Boeing Millennium Systems are designing digital prototypes which are in Critical design review (CDR) by Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) for launch to MEO in late 2022. Missile Track Custody Prototype (TCD)
    26. Nathan Strout (1 Jul 2021) The Space Development Agency now has demo satellites on orbit. Here’s what they’ll do. Transporter-2: Mandrake 2, the Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS), and the Prototype On-orbit Experimental Testbed (POET). Yam-3 for data fusion. Pitboss for Autonomous mission management.
    27. Nathan Strout (29 Nov 2021) Raytheon acquires SEAKR Engineering
    28. Nathan Strout (3 May 2020) SEAKR moving forward with DARPA’s Pit Boss project
    29. Theresa Hitchens (15 Jun 2020) DARPA’s Blackjack Jumps Forward With Payload, Bus, Demo Awards
    30. Theresa Hitchens (9 Jul 2021) Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop 50 to 55 contracts by year-end 2021
    31. Tony Capaccio (10 Jul 2021) Pentagon Sees China’s Offensive Space Technology ‘On the March’ Jamming, dazzling, kinetic kill
    32. Theresa Hitchens (16 Jul 2021) NTS-3, Aiming To Improve On GPS, Starts Integration Tests In August Toolkit of NDSA techniques
    33. Nathan Strout (29 Jul 2021) Space Force launches small satellite to test new sensor possibilities 6U vs 12U bus
    34. CTO Advanced Capabilities (2021) Advanced Capabilities Roles
    35. "OCX On Track, Says Raytheon; Begins New Upgrade". May 5, 2021.
    36. "Raytheon I&S wins GPS OCX contract". May 6, 2021.
    37. "GPS.gov: Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX)". www.gps.gov.
    38. Nathan Strout (6 Aug 2021) Northrop Grumman, Ball Aerospace clear milestone for missile warning payload Next Gen Overhead Persistent Infrared to replace SBIRS
    39. Clark, Colin (September 28, 2021). "SASC Frets DoD Missile Warning Satellite Efforts May Be Flailing".
    40. Theresa Hitchens (11 Nov 2021) MDA: Hypersonic missile tracking prototypes on point for 2023 launch "What happens after the HBTSS prototype demonstrations, however, is yet to be determined"
    41. Tara Copp (9 Aug 2021) Hypersonic Missile Defense May Depend on Low Earth Orbit Satellites PIRPL
    42. Theresa Hitchens (20 Aug 2021) Exclusive: Pentagon Poised To Unveil, Demonstrate Classified Space Weapon to shoot down satellites —John Hyten
    43. Tariq Malik (22 Jan 2022) You can watch SpaceX launch more than four dozen Starlink internet satellites tonight. Here's how.
    44. Daviscourt, Joshua (28 June 2021). "COTS and Space-based Missile Defense". United States Air Force. Retrieved 1 December 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
    45. "An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives". National Research Council. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
    46. Barton, David K.; Falcone, Roger; Kleppner, Daniel; Lamb, Frederick K.; Lau, Ming K.; Lynch, Harvey L.; Moncton, David; Montague, David; Mosher, David E.; Priedhorsky, William; Tigner, Maury; Vaughan, David R. (5 October 2004). "Report of the American Physical Society Study Group on Boost-Phase Intercept Systems for National Missile Defense: Scientific and Technical Issues". Reviews of Modern Physics. 76 (3): S1–S424. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.76.S1. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
    47. "Kendall To Announce Space Acquisition Shake Up". August 24, 2021.
    48. "Air Force's Kendall Creates Space Acquisition Office, Accelerates Absorption of Space Development Agency". Defense One.
    49. "(FY2021 budget justification) Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Space Force (FY20) Proposed Budget Exhibit R-2, RDT&E Budget Item Justification: PB 2021 Air Force" (PDF).
    50. "SDA Opens Contest For First Operational Constellation". August 27, 2021.
    51. Nathan Strout (27 Aug 2021) New hypersonic missile-tracking satellites pass critical design review for Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) prototypes
    52. Theresa Hitchens (7 Apr 2022) Space Force’s $1B for hypersonic missile tracking in FY23 will go to new satellites, ground systems Track Custody Prototype (TCP), and MEO satellite constellations with ground stations
    53. Theresa Hitchens (15 Apr 2021) Antennas: The hard physics challenge for Space Force ‘hybrid’ SATCOM plan TITAN seeks "SATCOM signals from constellations in LEO, MEO and GEO"
    54. Aaron Mehta, ed. (6 January 2022) 2021-2022 Military Space Survey 26 pages
    55. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] [31][32][33][34][35][36][37] [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]
    56. "Derek M. Tournear, Ph.D." www.defense.gov.
    57. "Frequently Asked Questions". sda.mil. Space Development Agency. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
    58. Greg Hadley (28 Feb 2022) SDA Awards $1.8 Billion in Contracts for 126 Satellites
    59. Colin Clark (4 Jun 2021) SecDef OKs JADC2 Strategy: Now OSD Has ‘Teeth’ Approved 13 May 2021
    60. "Details of the Pentagon New Space Architecture Revealed". www.nationaldefensemagazine.org.
    61. Transport layer
    62. C Todd Lopez (2 May 2021) On-Time Delivery Top Priority at Space Development Agency
    63. Theresa Hitchens (27 Aug 2021) SDA Opens Contest For First Operational Constellation 30 Aug 2021 RFP for Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) Jan 2022
    64. Theresa Hitchens (28 Oct 2021) SDA Scraps, Relaunches Data Transport Satellite Bidding After Protest Tranche 1: T1TL of Aug 2021 was rescinded: "126 satellites [each] with Ka-band space-to-ground communications link, four optical communications terminals, a Link 16 payload (which is the current standard for machine-to-machine communications link among US and allied weapon systems), and a battle management, command, control and communications (BMC3) compute and storage module"; T1TL RFP was reissued 28 Oct 2021. T1TL terms were replaced with OTA authority instead. Proposals were due 24 Nov 2021.
    65. Theresa Hitchens (1 Mar 2022) Budget roadblock delaying Pentagon satellite program to track hypersonic missiles $750 million in question in FY2022 budget. An alternative, Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T1DES) can be let for 18 satellites.
    66. Theresa Hitchens (18 Feb 2022) SDA awards $1.8B in contracts for first operational data transport sats Tranche 1 Transport layer (T1TL) award
    67. Tracking layer
    68. Custody layer
    69. Theresa Hitchens (15 Dec 2021) NGA Gears Up For All Domain Ops references tipping and queuing of the data sensors and sources of the NGA's intelligence community
    70. Strout, Nathan (2021-09-20). "Space Development Agency approves design for satellites that can track hypersonic weapons". Defense News. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
    71. "L3Harris' missile-tracking satellites pass early design review". SpaceNews. 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
    72. "Dr. Fred G. Kennedy III". www.defense.gov.
    73. "Dr. Fred G. Kennedy III". www.defense.gov.
    74. "Derek Tournear named permanent director of the Space Development Agency". SpaceNews. October 28, 2019.
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