Space Development Agency (SDA)

[[Home|🏠]] > [[Partners]] > Space Development Agency (SDA) **Website:** https://www.sda.mil/ ## Summary The Space Development Agency (SDA), established on March 12, 2019, operates as a direct-reporting unit within the [[U.S. Space Force]], focusing on deploying disruptive space technologies to enhance national security. Its primary mission is to create and sustain lethal, resilient, threat-driven, and affordable military space capabilities that provide persistent, resilient, global, low-latency surveillance to deter or defeat adversaries. A key initiative is the development of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), formerly known as the National Defense Space Architecture, which consists of a layered network of satellites in low Earth orbit designed to provide global coverage, resilience, and responsiveness for military operations. The SDA has plans to deploy at least 1,000 satellites by 2026. The agency emphasizes speed and agility in its operations, aiming to deliver capabilities to joint warfighting forces in two-year tranches, recognizing that timely deployment of "good enough" capabilities can be more beneficial than delayed perfection. In October 2022, the SDA transitioned to the management of the [[U.S. Space Force]], further integrating its efforts within the [[U.S. Department of Defense]]'s space operations. ## Contracts - [[SDA Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA)]] ## Missions - [[SDA Tranche 2 - Transport Layer]] - [[LOXSAT]] ## Space Systems ### T2TL Transport Layer Beta #### Summary Known as "Scorpius", Based on the [[Lightning]] platform, tailored for the power and data-handling demands of national security LEO constellations. T2TL will provide global communications access and deliver persistent regional encrypted connectivity in support of Warfighter missions around the globe. [Leaked Design Document 1](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=60201.0;attach=2312604;image) [Leaked Design Document 2](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=60201.0;attach=2312606;image) ![[Pasted image 20250704002709.png]] #### Specifications | Specification | Value | | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Orbit | 1000 km, mid-inclination | | Launch/Launch Interface | Launched in 18 spacecraft stack on NSSL vehicle | | Bus | [[Lightning]] | | Lifetime | 7 Years | | Mission Assurance | [[⚖️ NASA Mission and Instrument Risk Classification#Class C\|Class C]] | | Satellite Mass | 450 kg | | Power | ~2000 W (EOL), deployable arrays, single axis articulation | | Avionics | High radiation tolerance, block redundant, cold spare | | Thermal | Heat pipes, >4 m2 radiator | | Volume / Dimensions | 1.9 m x 1.2 m x 1.3 m (stowed) 1.9 m x 6.0 m x 1.3 m (deployed) | | Propulsion | Single string Hall Thruster, > 800 m/sec | | Comms | S-band Backup TT&C | #### Payloads ##### [[CesiumAstro]] Vireo Active Electronically Scanned Array A complete solution for uplink and downlink operations from LEO, the Vireo payload supports to 8-beam operation with independently steerable, shapable beams. Jam resistant and reconfigurable on-orbit to meet evolving threats. 🔗 [[CesiumAstro#Vireo Multi-Beam Communications Payload]] ##### [[Mynaric]] Condor Mk3 Optical Lasercom Terminals CONDOR Mk3 is an [Optical Communications](https://www.nasa.gov/technology/space-comms/optical-communications-overview/) Terminal (OCT) purpose-built to address the growing need of high-bandwidth, secure, license-free and cost-efficient satellite communications for next-generation constellations. The versatile terminal enables intra-plane and cross-plane inter-satellite connectivity in low Earth orbit (LEO) for various applications. Each spacecraft is equipped with three terminals. 🔗 [[Mynaric#Condor Mk3]] ## News %%DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: start ``` table published as "Published" from "News" where contains(customer, [[Space Development Agency (SDA)]]) sort published desc ``` %% | File | Published | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | | [[News/Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Critical Design Review for Space Development Agency’s T2TL-Beta Constellation.md\|Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Critical Design Review for Space Development Agency’s T2TL-Beta Constellation]] | July 01, 2025 | | [[News/Rocket Lab on Track to Advance U.S. Defense Capabilities, Passing Major Milestone in Development of Spacecraft Constellation for Space Development Agency.md\|Rocket Lab on Track to Advance U.S. Defense Capabilities, Passing Major Milestone in Development of Spacecraft Constellation for Space Development Agency]] | January 09, 2025 | | [[News/Rocket Lab Selects Subcontractors to Support SDA Satellite Constellation Development.md\|Rocket Lab Selects Subcontractors to Support SDA Satellite Constellation Development]] | May 06, 2024 | | [[News/Rocket Lab Makes its Defense Prime Debut with $0.5 Billion Contract to Design and Build Satellite Constellation for Space Development Agency.md\|Rocket Lab Makes its Defense Prime Debut with $0.5 Billion Contract to Design and Build Satellite Constellation for Space Development Agency]] | January 08, 2024 | | [[News/Rocket Lab Awarded $14m in Contracts to Supply Satellite Separation Systems for Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer.md\|Rocket Lab Awarded $14m in Contracts to Supply Satellite Separation Systems for Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer]] | November 09, 2022 | | [[News/Rocket Lab Supports Significant Milestone for DARPA and Space Development Agency on the Mandrake-2 Mission.md\|Rocket Lab Supports Significant Milestone for DARPA and Space Development Agency on the Mandrake-2 Mission]] | July 13, 2022 | %%DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: end %%