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.
L3Harris to deliver five missile-warning satellites for 2023 launches[July 27]QuoteSDA, a defense agency tasked to field a large constellation of satellites for communications and missile tracking, in October 2020 awarded SpaceX a $149 million contract and L3Harris a $193.5 million contract to each build four satellites to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles [...]QuoteThe eight satellites make up the Tracking Layer Tranche 0. The first Tracking Layer launch, projected for September 2022, is likely to include at least two SpaceX satellites. The second launch, planned for March [2023], will include all four L3Harris satellites and others from the Transport Layer Tranche 0, which are being produced by Lockheed Martin and York Space. SDA said the manifest has not yet been finalized.
SDA, a defense agency tasked to field a large constellation of satellites for communications and missile tracking, in October 2020 awarded SpaceX a $149 million contract and L3Harris a $193.5 million contract to each build four satellites to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles [...]
The eight satellites make up the Tracking Layer Tranche 0. The first Tracking Layer launch, projected for September 2022, is likely to include at least two SpaceX satellites. The second launch, planned for March [2023], will include all four L3Harris satellites and others from the Transport Layer Tranche 0, which are being produced by Lockheed Martin and York Space. SDA said the manifest has not yet been finalized.
Space Development Agency’s first launch slips due to supply chain setbacksby Sandra Erwin — September 14, 2022SDA's second batch of Tranche 0 is still on track to launch in March
WASHINGTON — <snip>Speaking at the Washington Space Business Roundtable Sept. 14, SDA Director Derek Tournear <snip> He said the manifest for the first Tranche 0 launch is still in flux, but the plan is to have a mixture of both tracking and transport satellites. “We’re shooting for between nine and 10 total satellites on that launch,” he said. “And the remainder will be going up on the March [2023] launch.”
SN Space Development Agency’s first launch slips to March due to satellite glitch [Dec 9]Quote“Our plan now is to launch 10 satellites in March [2023] and the remaining 18 in June,” [SDA Director Derek Tournear] said.
“Our plan now is to launch 10 satellites in March [2023] and the remaining 18 in June,” [SDA Director Derek Tournear] said.
0938-EX-ST-2023 Mission 1642 (SDA T0 F2) from VandenbergRTLS[Launch NET 26 May 2023]
Quote from: Fmedici on 03/30/2023 01:34 pmIn the corresponding article on Gunter's Space Page, besides the presence of different manifacturers, a further distinction is introduced about the satellites of the Transport Layer according to their payloads/function, namely A-Class or B-Class, with both York and Lockheed producing 7 of the first type and 3 of the second. Is it known to which class the York satellites of this first launch belong?5 A, 3 B (and one of York's sats was switched from A to B, so the total is 13/7 now for the two types)[See attached file.]
In the corresponding article on Gunter's Space Page, besides the presence of different manifacturers, a further distinction is introduced about the satellites of the Transport Layer according to their payloads/function, namely A-Class or B-Class, with both York and Lockheed producing 7 of the first type and 3 of the second. Is it known to which class the York satellites of this first launch belong?
Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late JuneMay 26, 2023The Space Development Agency is preparing to launch at least 13 satellites in late June, the agency’s director Derek Tournear said May 26.[...]SDA initially planned to launch all 18 remaining in June but made some late changes to the manifest, Tournear said in an interview with SpaceNews. The upcoming mission — scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in late June from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California — is now projected to launch 11 communications satellites (10 made by Lockheed Martin and one made by York Space) and two missile-tracking satellites made by SpaceX. There were two Tranche 0 York satellites on the manifest but one is likely to be kept on the ground so SDA can use it for software tests, said Tournear.Four L3Harris Tranche 0 satellites were scheduled to launch but were taken off the manifest due to production delays, he said. The four satellites will fly to orbit on a separate mission planned by the Missile Defense Agency. MDA is preparing to launch two prototypes — one made by L3Harris and the other by Northrop Grumman — for its Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS). SDA and MDA are collaborating closely on missile tracking and missile defense architectures, said Tournear. The agencies agreed to deploy L3Harris’ wide field-of-view satellites made for SDA in the same orbit as the HBTSS medium field-of-view missile defense satellites[...]MDA has not yet announced a launch date for the HBTSS mission.
With Transporter-8 launched 12 June 21:35UTCand 5-7 planned for 21 June:It seems like it would take two record 9 day pad turnaround for this to be in June. However with Transporter-8 and SDA T9 F2 both being RTLS drone ship availability is less of a problem and June launch may still be possible.
Tranche 0 Update: Tranche 0 Transport sats are on schedule and all 8 remain on orbit. They will be joined by additional Tranche 0 Transport Layer sats from @YorkSpaceSystem and @LMSpace with a launch later this summer. (6 of 9)
Space Development Agency’s missile warning satellites transmit first imagesSDA’s second launch of satellites originally scheduled in June is now being targeted for late JulyJune 19, 2023[...]SDA was expecting to launch the second batch of Tranche 0 satellites in late June but that mission is likely to be delayed by at least a month, the agency said.There are 13 satellites in SDA’s second launch.“We are targeting the second launch near the end of July,” an SDA official said in a statement June 16.“While we’ve experienced some delays, SDA is working collaboratively with partners to gather critical elements required for the remainder of Tranche 0 to perform its intended tactical data demonstrations,” the official said. [...]
The FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan Advisory has the following new information:Quote from: FAASPACE X STARLINK 06-15 VANDENBERG SFB, CAPRIMARY: 07/19/23 0229Z-0843ZBACKUP: 07/20/23 0203Z-0818Z 07/21/23 0138Z-0753Z 07/22/23 0113Z-0728Z 07/23/23 0048Z-0703Z 07/24/23 0022Z-0637Z 07/24/23 2357Z-0229Z
SPACE X STARLINK 06-15 VANDENBERG SFB, CAPRIMARY: 07/19/23 0229Z-0843ZBACKUP: 07/20/23 0203Z-0818Z 07/21/23 0138Z-0753Z 07/22/23 0113Z-0728Z 07/23/23 0048Z-0703Z 07/24/23 0022Z-0637Z 07/24/23 2357Z-0229Z
Launch perhaps on one of the very last days of July? Starlink 6-15 will precede this launch. July 19 > July 31 = 12 daysOCISLY turnaround is not a concern for the SDA launch.
A second launch of Tranche 0 satellites has been delayed, with the agency now expecting launch by the end of August. The delay has been because of c rypto issues working with the National Security Agency, Tournear said during a Potomac Officer’s Association event outside Washington.
Launch is slipping to late August.QuoteA second launch of Tranche 0 satellites has been delayed, with the agency now expecting launch by the end of August. The delay has been because of scam issues working with the National Security Agency, Tournear said during a Potomac Officer’s Association event outside Washington.https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/sda-tranche-0-link-16-transmission-october-second-launch-august
A second launch of Tranche 0 satellites has been delayed, with the agency now expecting launch by the end of August. The delay has been because of scam issues working with the National Security Agency, Tournear said during a Potomac Officer’s Association event outside Washington.
Quote from: AndrewM on 07/24/2023 12:56 pmLaunch is slipping to late August.QuoteA second launch of Tranche 0 satellites has been delayed, with the agency now expecting launch by the end of August. The delay has been because of scam issues working with the National Security Agency, Tournear said during a Potomac Officer’s Association event outside Washington.https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/sda-tranche-0-link-16-transmission-october-second-launch-augustI was wondering what is scam issues, but apparently the source article says 'crypto issues'. That seems like an interesting auto correct 😂Edit:And not surprisingly the auto correct is in this forum and it also corrected my text. So you'll have to follow the link to see what it really says.Edit 2: and there I bypassed the auto correct.
Quote from: mn on 07/24/2023 01:38 pmQuote from: AndrewM on 07/24/2023 12:56 pmLaunch is slipping to late August.QuoteA second launch of Tranche 0 satellites has been delayed, with the agency now expecting launch by the end of August. The delay has been because of scam issues working with the National Security Agency, Tournear said during a Potomac Officer’s Association event outside Washington.https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/sda-tranche-0-link-16-transmission-october-second-launch-augustI was wondering what is scam issues, but apparently the source article says 'crypto issues'. That seems like an interesting auto correct 😂Edit:And not surprisingly the auto correct is in this forum and it also corrected my text. So you'll have to follow the link to see what it really says.Edit 2: and there I bypassed the auto correct.The forum software converts the word c. r. y. p. t. o. (charlie romeo yankee papa tango oscar) to "scam", probably in response to a bunch of scammy drive-by posts trying to sell digital currency.
Another Falcon 9 had been scheduled to launch 13 more Tranche 0 satellites in June — 10 made by Lockheed Martin and three by York Space — but the mission has been delayed to late August.
Open question: Will the Starlink 7-1 launch delay push this launch into early September?I assume it's all dependent on how much havoc the remnants of Hurricane Hilary 🌀 cause, both wave strength at sea 🌊 and torrential rains 🌧 along the south and central California coasts.
Stay tuned, more big news from SDA is expected next week!SDA continues its commitment as a constructive disruptor in space acquisition by preparing to deliver the agency's second group of Tranche 0 space vehicles on orbit.