Space Force to Issue RFP for $8B Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications Constellation

The U.S. Space Force plans to acquire resilient satellite communications for the military and national command authorities.

 Cordell DeLaPena Jr., program executive officer for military communications and position, navigation and timing at the Space Systems Command, said during the AFCEA Space Industry Days that the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications constellation would provide jam-resistant satcom capabilities for the United States’ nuclear command, control and communications mission. The SSC said the request for proposals for ESS will be issued in January, and the contract is estimated to be worth $8 billion.

The ESS satellites would replace the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite network, SpaceNews reported.

Work on the ESS has been ongoing since Boeing and Northrop Grumman were awarded contracts in 2020 to develop satellite prototypes.

In September, SSC awarded Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory a $10 million contract to review the ESS constellation’s ground segment prototypes. Under the contract, JHU-APL was tasked to review the Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational Nuclear Command, Control and Communications, which were developed by two separate teams led by Raytheon and Lockheed.