SpaceX has been awarded a $150.4 million contract to launch as many as 28 satellites for the Pentagon’s space agency, the Defense Department announced Dec. 31. The contract is to launch a mix of small and medium spacecraft of different sizes that the Space Development Agency is acquiring from multiple vendors. That includes 20 data-relay satellites known as the Transport Layer and the other eight are missile-warning satellites known as the Tracking Layer.
SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCYSpace Exploration Technologies Inc. (SpaceX), Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $150,450,000 firm-fixed-price contract for launch services from Vandenberg Air Force Base for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 Transport and Tracking Layer space vehicles. This award was made based on the Tranche 0 Launch request for proposal (HQ085021R0001) released Oct. 6, 2020, to which responses were due Nov. 9, 2020. SpaceX will provide standalone launch services via two launches, with the first launch occurring in September 2022, and the entire constellation on orbit no later than March 31, 2023. Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Vandenberg AFB, California; and McGregor, Texas. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 defense-wide research, development, test and evaluation funds will be obligated at the time of award. The Space Development Agency, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (HQ085021C0005).
The first launch is required in September 2022. If additional launches are required, all launches shall be completed as close to September 2022 as possible, but not later than 31 March 2023.The LSC shall also provide Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) rings as well as the individual satellite deployment/separation systems and shall perform the SV-to-Launch Vehicle (LV) integration efforts.Reference Attachment 4 – Tranche 0 Launch Services SV Planning Info for SV parameters. The LSC shall deploy the SDA satellites into orbits with the following characteristics:• Apogee: 950km +/- 11.1km• Perigee: 950km +/- 3.7km• Inclination between 80 degrees (threshold) and 89.5 degrees (objective)+/- 0.05degSolicitation HQ085021R0001 Attachment 1 (Rev 1) 3• RAAN separation of 31 deg +/- 1degPlane 1 will include All Transport Vendor 1 SVs, two Tracking Vendor 1 SVs, and two Tracking Vendor 2 SVs.Solicitation HQ085021R0001 Attachment 1 (Rev 1) Plane 2 will include All Transport Vendor 2 SVs, two Tracking Vendor 1 SVs, and two Tracking Vendor 2 SVs. There are no additional sequencing or position requirements for the SVs in each plane. The SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.The LSC shall perform launch vehicle planning, analysis, design, development, production, integration, and testing required to provide the launch service appropriate to transport the payload to the desired orbit. The2.6 Compliance Documents51 U.S.C. § 50131(a) requires the Federal Government to acquire space transportation services from U.S. commercial providers whenever such services are required in the course of its activities. To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services of U.S. commercial providers. The National Space Transportation Policy (NSTP) provides that U.S. Government payloads shall be launched on vehicles manufactured in the United States.Consistent with these requirements, the SDA launch services are required to be provided by a U.S. commercial provider, using a launch vehicle manufactured in the United States. Proposers will be required to demonstrate that they have satisfied these requirements. The awarded contract will also require the LSC to continue to comply with 51 U.S.C. § 50131 and the NSTP.The LSC shall comply with U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, requiring deorbit of the launch vehicle upper stage within 25 years or less.3.0 Launch Vehicle Analysis and DesignThe LSC shall provide the predicted launch vehicle environments to the SDA SV Prime Contractors. Potential mitigation approaches should be identified for any environments which exceed LV and SV design levels based on inputs from the SV providers and predicted SV configurations relative to ESPA rings inside the payload fairing.4.0 Development and ProductionThe LSC shall be responsible for manufacture, assembly, test and transport of the launch vehicle and all mission hardware to the launch site; the LSC shall provide all materials and equipment necessary for these tasks.The LSC shall hold third party liability insurance based on a Maximum Probable Loss value as calculated by the Federal Aviation Administration. LSC shall provide two Trajectory Analysis cycles and two Coupled Loads Analysis cycles. The analysis shall account for the complete stack, including Transport and Tracking SVs and all ESPA rings and other adaptors. The first cycle shall be delivered by TBD (estimated date 1 March 2021).
The SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.
QuoteThe SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.That’s an interesting rideshare opportunity.
Quote from: Jansen on 12/31/2020 11:47 pmQuoteThe SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.That’s an interesting rideshare opportunity.Or a nice way to deploy the polar orbiting StarLink sats for Canada and Northern Europe markets.
Quote from: Vanspace on 01/01/2021 04:47 amQuote from: Jansen on 12/31/2020 11:47 pmQuoteThe SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.That’s an interesting rideshare opportunity.Or a nice way to deploy the polar orbiting StarLink sats for Canada and Northern Europe markets.It would be, except:1) The mass of 14 SVs and the polar orbit likely means there will only be room for smallsats2) There are only two launches for tranche 03) The first launch is September 2022, so a bit too far out considering SpaceX wanted to start the first polar shell in December 2020.
Quote from: Jansen on 01/01/2021 02:59 pmQuote from: Vanspace on 01/01/2021 04:47 amQuote from: Jansen on 12/31/2020 11:47 pmQuoteThe SDA T0 SVs will be the primary payload. The Government will not restrict the LSC from using any additional payload capacity for other purposes or clients, as long as the SDA schedule, orbital parameters, and security requirements are still met, contingent upon SDA approval.That’s an interesting rideshare opportunity.Or a nice way to deploy the polar orbiting StarLink sats for Canada and Northern Europe markets.It would be, except:1) The mass of 14 SVs and the polar orbit likely means there will only be room for smallsats2) There are only two launches for tranche 03) The first launch is September 2022, so a bit too far out considering SpaceX wanted to start the first polar shell in December 2020.Also the Tranche 0 launch contract specifies that ESPA dispensers to be used. AFAIK, these can not be combined with an Starlink stack.
Not to be contradictory but I thought the 4 SpaceX sats in Tranche 0 are Starlink bus derivatives. If they aren't Starlink derived, then 'SpaceX has a new Satellite Bus' would seem to me to be way more important news than a couple of essentially ride share launches. Of course Jensen shot down my original idea but I would be interested if this is a new bus
Thanks guys!This makes me think the permission to have other ride shares along with this mission was more about establishing the legal status/flexibility than any actual intent to do so. Seems there isn't any berths available in the stack for them to sell. I can see SpaceX wanting to establish launch services as legally equal to any other common carrier. I had not expected the military to take this baby step until ordered to by congress budget. Good news all around
DoD’s Space Development Agency (SDA) in 2020 bought the first eight satellites of the Tracking Layer — four from L3Harris and four from a SpaceX-Leidos team. Both have passed design reviews and are scheduled to launch in 2023.
Possible launch delay?QuoteDoD’s Space Development Agency (SDA) in 2020 bought the first eight satellites of the Tracking Layer — four from L3Harris and four from a SpaceX-Leidos team. Both have passed design reviews and are scheduled to launch in 2023. https://spacenews.com/dod-estimates-2-5-billion-price-tag-for-global-constellation-to-track-hypersonic-missiles/
The first 20 satellites of the Transport Layer Tranche 0 are scheduled to launch in September.
The Defense Department’s budget request for fiscal year 2023 includes $500 million for the Tracking Layer. The first eight satellites – made by L3Harris and SpaceX – are projected to launch in 2023. The next batch of at least 28 satellites would launch in 2025.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-to-accelerate-deployment-of-missile-tracking-satellites/QuoteThe Defense Department’s budget request for fiscal year 2023 includes $500 million for the Tracking Layer. The first eight satellites – made by L3Harris and SpaceX – are projected to launch in 2023. The next batch of at least 28 satellites would launch in 2025.
