SDA Issues DRAFT Solicitation for Sabre Payload

Original Response Date: January 30, 2023, 12:00 PM EST

The Space Development Agency (SDA) issued an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) solicitation for a payload system that will add multiple new mission capability demonstrations to NExT, SDA’s experimental testbed constellation.  This payload system delivers three (3) independent functional capabilities collectively referred to as the Sabre payload. These three functions may be integrated into a single multi-function unit or may be delivered as multiple single-function units. These three functions will operate individually; they are not required to operate simultaneously.

The primary payload function of Sabre is a system to collect and relay telemetry from ballistic and hypersonic Vehicles Under Test (VUTs), thereby eliminating the need for a fleet of aircraft and ships that must be deployed to collect this telemetry. This system will also significantly reduce the latency of telemetry collection by using SDA’s Transport Layer (TL) to gather and transfer telemetry in near-real time. The secondary and tertiary functions of Sabre deliver SDA alternate navigation (S-NAV/ALTNAV) and Electronic Support (ES) capabilities. This solicitation is for the design, development, fabrication, integration, test, and delivery of four (4) Sabre flight units including support for integrating these flight units into NExT SVs and operating and sustaining them for future mission demonstrations.