Federal News Network:

The recently formed Space Development Agency is preparing to buy 150 satellites to continue to form a multi-layered system that will deliver data to weapons systems, extend surveillance and support ground systems with critical information.

The large buy of satellites is part of SDA’s “throwing spaghetti against the wall” approach of putting up a high volume of low-cost satellites.

“What our architecture is based on is proliferation and spiral development,” Derek Tournear, SDA director, said Tuesday at a Space Foundation event. “When I say ‘proliferation,’ I mean hundreds of satellites. That is what will give you the persistence and the resiliency that you need. The spiral development will give you the rapid capability and rapid fielding.”

Spiral development refers to the SDA’s plan to launch a new tranche of satellites every two years to add new capabilities to the Defense Department’s National Defense Space Architecture and “spiral out” the number of satellites in orbit. That system will improve command and control, increase surveillance, provide ground support and fit in with the military’s plan to quicken the pace between sensors, decision makers and warfighters.

SDA is currently in the process of buying satellites for Tranche 0, which will be in orbit by 2022. The 150 satellites will belong to Tranche One and SDA plans to put out requests for proposal this August; SDA wants the satellites in space by 2024…

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