WHO WE ARE
The Space Development Agency orchestrates the development and fielding of DoD’s future threat-driven National Defense Space Architecture. SDA uses novel approaches to accelerate the military space capabilities necessary to ensure U.S. technological and military advantage in space for national defense.
CAPABILITY LAYERS
SDA announced August 31 two contract awards for the first generation of the Transport Layer. These awards represent one of the first major and highly visible steps toward developing the National Defense Space Architecture’s inaugural tranche (called Tranche 0). This set of contract awards will initiate the design, development, and launch of constellations comprised of…
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Date: August 1, 2020 | Outlet: AFCEA – Signal Magazine | By: Kimberly Underwood The year-old Space Development Agency emphasizes speed in pursuing innovative space capabilities. The threats to the U.S. military and the nation are such that additional space-based capabilities must be rapidly fielded. A proliferated low-earth-orbit constellation of satellites and sensors will connect…
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Date: July 13, 2020 | Outlet: Space News | By: Sandra Erwin WASHINGTON — U.S Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios will serve as acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, DoD announced on July 13. Kratsios will take over the position previously held by Mike Griffin. Mark Lewis was named acting deputy undersecretary of…
Read Full StoryResponses due by June 8, 2020 The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks industry feedback on Tranche 0 Mission Systems Engineering and Integration (MSE&I). The scope of MSE&I support is delivery of an integrated, interoperable Tranche 0 system-of-systems to include integration of Transport and Tracking space vehicles, Naval Research Laboratory-based ground systems and hardware/software-in-the-loop testbeds. MSE&I…
Read Full StoryResponses due by June 5, 2020 The U.S. Space Force, Space and Missile Systems Center seeks information through a Request for Information (RFI) from prospective launch service providers to support the Space Development Agency (SDA) first generation (called “Tranche 0”). The SDA Tranche 0 Space Vehicle (SV) manifest will consist of up to 30 large…
Read Full StoryOriginal Responses due by May 29, 2020 The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks input on a DRAFT Request for Proposal (RFP) to inform the approach and technical requirements for the Tracking layer. Tracking Tranche 0 is expected to consist of approximately 8-10 satellites that are interconnected with cross links and wide field of view infrared…
Read Full StoryProposals are due by Noon EDT on June 1, 2020 The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks proposals on their first Request for Proposal (RFP) to help build the Transport layer. Transport Tranche 0 is an interoperable mesh network of tens of satellites to provide periodic low-latency and high-capacity data connectivity. The agency plans to award…
Read Full StoryOriginal Response Date: April 17, 2020 The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks input on a DRAFT Request for Proposal (RFP) to inform the approach and technical requirements for the Transport layer. Transport Tranche 0 Industry Day Audio Recording (April 2, 2020)
Read Full StoryOriginal Response Date: March 31, 2020 The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks input through a DRAFT Request for Proposals (RFP) regarding the launch of one Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) experimental satellite in 2021. This satellite, the “Tracking Phenomenology Experiment,” will characterize scene backgrounds to optimize algorithms, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and wavebands for advanced missile…
Read Full StoryOriginal Response Date: Jan. 20, 2021 SDA recognizes the need to establish an “intellectual pipeline” to access ideas from across the community to inform the future of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA).Through this BAA, SDA specifically seeks novel architecture concepts, systems, technologies, and capabilities that: Enable leap-ahead improvements for future tranches of currently planned…
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