Transport Tranche 0

Space Development Agency's (SDA) Transport Layer will provide low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms.

SDA’s Transport Layer is envisioned as a constellation varying in size from 300 to more than 500 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ranging from 750km to 1200km in altitude. With a full constellation, 95% of the locations on the Earth will have at least two satellites in view at any given time while 99% of the locations on the Earth will have at least one satellite in view.

This will ensure constant worldwide coverage. The constellation will be interconnected with Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISLs) which have significantly increased performance over existing radio frequency crosslinks. LEO orbits in conjunction with OISLs will reduce path loss issues but more importantly offer much lower latencies, which are deemed critical to engaging time sensitive targets in today’s wartime environment.

This SDA constellation is expected to operate over Ka-band, have stereo coverage, and be networked for simpler hand-offs, greater bandwidth, and fault tolerance. Initially, the Tranche 0 constellation consisting of 20 space vehicles is expected to have a limited networked capability. Future enhancements (Tranche 1 and beyond) will significantly increase the routing of data across a larger network of space vehicles.

The constellation will also have the capability to integrate with both Link-16 and the Integrated Broadcast System (IBS). Link-16 and IBS integration on the Transport Layer will modernize current capabilities to better support warfighter needs for worldwide timely threat warning and situational awareness information across the range of military operations.

SDA’s Transport Layer is exploring technical areas including, but not limited to:

Optimized control of modulation techniques (including wide-band or narrow-band operations),

Simultaneous transmit and receive technologies,

Communications security functions (e.g. frequency hopping),

Unique state-of-the-art waveforms,

Space implementation of tactical data links,

Automated dynamic networking and routing techniques,

Commercial cryptographic systems,

Blockchain technologies,

Multiband phased array antennas, and

Multi-level security (MLS)

Tracking Tranche 0

SDA’s Tracking Layer will provide global indications, warning, tracking, and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems.

This capability encompasses space-based sensing, as well as algorithms, novel processing schemes, data fusion across sensors and orbital regimes, and tactical data products able to be delivered to the appropriate user.

SDA’s Tracking Layer is exploring technical areas including, but not limited to:

Integrated, hybrid architectures including existing and planned missile warning/missile defense (MW/MD) capabilities,

Significant reductions in size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) and/or significant performance improvements over traditional MW/MD hardware, software, algorithms, subsystem, component concepts or designs,

Identification and exploration of novel MW/MD sensing concepts or design, and

Enabling disciplines and technologies such as systems engineering, program security, cybersecurity, logistics, or mission and quality assurance.

Credit: Space Development Agency (SDA)

Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.

Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket.

Stats

Total launches: 387

Total landings: 343

Total reflights: 318

The Falcon 9 has launched 52 humans into orbit since May 2020

Specs

Height: 70 m / 229.6 ft

Diameter: 3.7 m / 12 ft

Mass: 549,054 kg / 1,207,920 lb

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 22,800 kg / 50,265 lb

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 8,300 kg / 18,300 lb

Payload to Mars: 4,020 kg / 8,860 lb

On January 24, 2021, Falcon 9 launched the first ride-share mission to Sun Synchronous Orbit. It was delivering a record-setting 143 satellites to space. And while this was an important mission for SpaceX in itself, it was also the moment Falcon 9 overtook United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V for the total number of consecutive successful launches.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had become America’s workhorse rocket, launching 31 times in 2021. It has already beaten that record this year, launching almost an average of once a week. While most of the launches deliver Starlink satellites to orbit, the company is still launching the most commercial payloads to orbit, too.

Falcon 9 is a medium-lift launch vehicle, with the capability to launch over 22.8 metric tonnes to low earth orbit. Unlike any other rocket, its first stage lands back on Earth after separating from its second stage. In part, this allows SpaceX to offer the cheapest option for most customers with payloads that need to reach orbit.

Under its ride-share program, a kilogram can be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit for a mere 1.1 million dollars, far cheaper than all other currently operating small satellite launch vehicles.

The reusability and fast booster turnaround times have made Falcon 9 the preferred choice for private companies and government agencies. This has allowed SpaceX to capture a huge portion of the launch market.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster.

Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is SpaceX’s west coast launch and landing facility, with its launch pad designated SLC-4E (the eastern-most of the two areas). Originally built in the early 1960s for Atlas-Agena rockets, the pad served that rocket line until 1967, when it was taken offline and rebuilt for Titan IIID rockets. From 1971 to 1988, SLC-4E launched Titan IIID rockets, after which it was reconfigured for Titan IV missions, which continued between 1991 and 2005.

In 2011, SpaceX leased SLC-4E and spent two years rebuilding the pad for its Falcon 9 rocket. From 2013 to 2019, the pad exclusively supported Falcon 9 polar missions. However, in 2020, SpaceX began splitting polar launches between Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral, after the Air Force lifted a 51-year ban on Florida-based polar launches, previously imposed due to the risk of overflying Cuba during launch. Despite these new opportunities from Florida, SpaceX plans to continue utilizing Vandenberg, with many more launches scheduled from this location.

Photo courtesy of SpaceX

Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) is SpaceX’s only west coast landing pad for the Falcon 9 first stage.

Activated in 2018, the landing pad is built on the former SLC-4W launch pad.

SLC-4W was built just 427 meters (1,400 feet) from SLC-4E for the Atlas-Agena rockets between 1963 and 1965.  After that, it was rebuilt for the Titan IIIB rocket and used for that program from 1966 to 1987.

With the Titan IIIB’s retirement, the pad was reconfigured for the Titan 23G rocket between 1988 and 2003.

SpaceX leased SLC-4W in 2015 and renamed it Landing Zone 4 and created a landing pad for the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage.

The first Return To Launch Site landing of a Falcon 9 to Landing Zone 4 took place on October 7th, 2018.

Image: Pauline Acalin for Supercluster