SDA Eyes Sending More Satellites Into Orbit in 2024

The Space Development Agency’s goal onward from September 2024 is to send 161 satellites into space in less than a year, SDA Director Derek Tournear said at the National Security Space Association’s online SpaceTime Series on Thursday. The target starting that month is “an 11-launch campaign over 11 months, one launch a month,” Tournear disclosed.

The projected launches comprise the first Tranche 1 operational satellites of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s constellation of lower-cost, mass-produced spacecraft in low-Earth orbit, SpaceNews reported.

Using SpaceX rockets, the SDA launched in 2023 its first 23 satellites as demonstration spacecraft for the Proliferated Warfighter’s Trance 0. The launch of four Trance 0 L3Harris missile-tracking satellites has been delayed, and putting them into orbit is SDA’s priority in early 2024. The launch date has yet to be announced for the USSF-124 Space Force mission, wherein the SDA satellites will share a ride.

The Tranche 1 satellites for 2024 launch include 126 Transport Layer communication satellites supplied by York Space Systems, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, as well as 35 missile-tracking sensor satellites from L3Harris, Northrop Grumman and RTX. 

Besides missile tracking and warning, the Proliferated Warfighter constellation aims to provide capabilities in targeting hypersonic weapons and space asset defense.