SDA Director Says Key Programs On Hold Without FY2024 Funding

The Space Development Agency cannot move forward on key projects if a continuing resolution extends past March, according to the organization’s head.

SDA Director Derek Tournear, a keynote speaker at the Potomac Officers Club’s upcoming 2024 Space Summit and a past Wash100 winner, said the lack of fiscal year 2024 funding forced his organization to postpone two satellite solicitations, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.

The stalled acquisitions are for the Fire-Control On-Orbit-Support-to-the-War Fighter and the Tranche 2 Transport Layer programs. Speaking at the recent Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, Tournear disclosed that SDA cannot award contracts for FOO Fighter despite source selection being “almost done.”

T2TL, meanwhile, could fail to maintain its pace of launching new satellites roughly every two years without FY2024 funding.

Tournear warned that other projects could suffer if the CR continues halfway through FY2024 because the SDA would not be able to pay its vendors. Tranche 1 satellites set for launch later in 2024 could stay grounded if the agency cannot pay for integration, assembly and testing work, he explained.

Tournear’s comments come after repeated warnings by Pentagon officials on an extended CR’s negative impacts.