Space Development Agency Director and Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking Announced
May 19, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC – The Space Development Agency (SDA) today announced selection of Dr. Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo as the director of the agency, where he continues to lead the strategic direction and program execution for acquisition and delivery of Tranche 1 & 2 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Sandhoo has also been named the Space Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking (SFPAE/MWT), both positions effective May 11, 2026.
Sandhoo has led the agency as the acting director since September 2025 overseeing the start of the launch campaign for Tranche 1 of the PWSA, a constellation of hundreds of satellites in ploliferated low Earth orbit, designed to provide military tactical communication access and beyond-line-of-sight missile warning and tracking data to Joint warfighters.
“GP brings a wealth of experience to this position and is already jumping into his new program acquisition executive responsibilities,” said Thomas Ainsworth, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration. “Our guiding principle is to provide every PAE with the things they need to succeed including the authority, the resources, and the talent to execute their mission. This effort reflects a renewed focus on aligning authorities with accountability, and a strategic commitment to accomplish the global missile warning and tracking mission.”
Michael Eppolito, current Acting Deputy Director and Chief Program Officer, will become the SDA Deputy Director. Eppolito joined SDA in 2020 and previously served as Battle Management cell chief and as program director for successful delivery of the Tranche 0 constellation.
Prior to joining SDA, Sandhoo served as Vice President and Chief Architect at Quantum Space, Director for Emerging Technologies at Northrop Grumman, Deputy Director at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), occupied the Heinlein Chair in Astronautics at the U.S. Naval Academy, and as the head of Spacecraft Engineering Division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Sandhoo also brings over 36 years of military experience in both the active and reserve components of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Most recently, he served as the National Reconnaissance Office Liaison to the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine and was the Senior Scientist in the space portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit.
Sandhoo holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, an M.S. in Space Systems, a D.Sc. in Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Propulsion from George Washington University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, and an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He is a 2016-2017 Fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI.
About the Space Development Agency. As part of the U.S. Space Force, SDA is recognized as a constructive disruptor for space acquisition. SDA will accelerate delivery of needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. For more information on SDA, contact USSF.SDA.Outreach@mail.mil or visit https://www.sda.mil.
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