SDA Issues Solicitation for National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) Experimental Testbed (NExT)

Original Response Date: July 29, 2022

SDA issued a solicitation for the agency’s National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) Experimental Testbed (NExT) satellites. Using Other Transaction Authority (OTA), this solicitation seeks proposals for U.S. space industry builder-operator teams that will partner with the agency to jointly develop and operate NExT. 

The solicitation outlines the agency’s need for up to 10 experimentation-capable space vehicles set to fly beginning in 2024. The experimental testbed will demonstrate warfighter utility of emerging mission partner payloads prior to potential incorporation in future tranches. This solicitation is for development, manufacture, deployment, and operations of a set of 10 NExT space vehicles and mission-enabling ground systems.

NExT leverages the low latency data transfer and beyond line-of-sight command and control infrastructure established by the NDSA to field and connect additional space vehicles with different mission payload configurations.

Please note this solicitation supersedes all information previously issued regarding this program.