Space Development Agency Awards Contract to Rocket Lab
Space Development Agency Awards Contract to Rocket Lab
Company Will Build 18 Additional Beta Variant Satellites for Tranche 2 Transport Layer
The Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded a prototype agreement to Rocket Lab National Security LLC to build and operate 18 Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) – Beta variant prototype space vehicles, which will join the previously-awarded 72 Beta space vehicles to form the foundation of Tranche 2 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The total value of the firm-fixed priced Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement is approximately $515 million.
“We welcome Rocket Lab as the newest member of Team SDA and our third performer on the T2TL- Beta program.”
Derek Tournear, SDA
In August 2023, SDA signed two OTA agreements, with a total value of approximately $1.5 billion to build 72 T2TL – Beta variant space vehicles. The earlier planes of the T2TL – Beta constellation will begin to launch in September 2026. The third award increases the size of the T2TL – Beta constellation to 90 SVs. The constellation will provide global communication access and deliver persistent global encrypted connectivity to support missions like beyond line of sight targeting and missile warning and missile tracking of advance missile threats.
“We welcome Rocket Lab as the newest member of Team SDA and our third performer on the T2TL- Beta program,” said Derek Tournear, SDA director. “Their selection as a new prime and bus provider demonstrates SDA’s dedication to our mission, which includes development of a growing, innovative marketplace necessary to sustain SDA’s proliferated architecture on two-year spirals.”
SDA determined the need to move some satellites from the planned Gamma variant to the Beta program to support mission utility through further proliferation of tactical satellite communication (TACSATCOM) capabilities. The additional 18 T2TL-Beta SVs will be operated from lower inclination orbits than the first 72 T2TL – Beta SVs. This enhances the overall robustness of the capability delivered by the T2TL SVs.
“This contract marks the beginning of Rocket Lab’s new era as a leading satellite prime. We’ve methodically executed on our strategy of developing and acquiring experienced teams, advanced technology, manufacturing facilities, and a robust spacecraft supply chain to make this possible. It’s exciting to now be delivering this capability for government and commercial customers alike,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “SDA’s acquisition approach favors speed, schedule certainty, and affordability to deliver next-generation space capabilities to the nation. We’ve proven Rocket Lab is capable of delivering this across our launch and spacecraft programs and we look forward to delivering it for SDA.”
All 18 satellites will integrate subsystems and components built in-house by Rocket Lab, including solar panels, structures, star trackers, reaction wheels, radio, flight software, avionics, and launch dispenser. This high degree of vertical integration gives Rocket Lab a rare level of control over supply chain, enabling efficiencies and certainty on cost, schedule and quality. They are scheduled for launch in 2027.
The T2TL features multiple space vehicle and mission configuration variants procured through a multi-solicitation and multi-vendor acquisition approach. In October 2023, SDA completed awards for 100 T2TL – Alpha variant SVs, which will provide global communications to support missions like beyond-line-of-sight targeting and missile warning and missile tracking of advance missile threats as part of the PWSA. SDA expects to release the T2TL Gama solicitation later next year. SDA is currently in the source selection phase for T2 Tracking Layer.
Once completely fielded, Tranche 2 will provide global persistence for all capabilities in Tranche 1 plus demonstration of advanced tactical data links and future proliferated missions. The T2 constellation will consist of approximately 270 operational Transport and Tracking Layer satellites.
The Transport Layer will be the space backbone for the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) infrastructure with low-latency data transport, sensor-to-shooter connectivity, and TACSATCOM direct to platform.