Space Force names Sandhoo as head of new missile warning/tracking PAE
As of May 11, Sandhoo is double hatted as both head of the PAE and director of the Space Development Agency.
As of May 11, Sandhoo is double hatted as both head of the PAE and director of the Space Development Agency.
Space-BACN's optical inter-satellite links and related tech are transitioning to the Defense Innovation Unit for a future on-orbit pathfinder, according to industry execs.
Missile warning and tracking programs, and the emerging Space Data Network being developed to ferry space sensor data to shooters on the ground, in the air and at sea are among the programs seeing huge increases.
It is unclear whether Gurpartap "GP" Sandhoo will keep his role as SDA acting director under a double-hat, but one industry source said that is the most likely solution at least in the near term.
The Space Development Agency is taking a "strategic pause" in launching its Tranche 1 data relay and missile tracking satellites to work out the kinks discovered in the 42 birds already on orbit, according to SDA Director GP Sandhoo.
The award to Kratos is a follow-on to an earlier Space Force contract with Parsons for the new Resilient Missile Warning Tracking in Medium Earth Orbit satellite program's ground operations center.
Two major trade groups are working on studies to scope the supply chain issues, hone in on the most pressing problems, and identify early mitigation strategies.
Separately, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the Air Force will continue work on two rapid prototypes for the E-7 Wedgetail, though he did not appear to fully commit to the program.
Marcia Holmes, DoD deputy director for Golden Dome, said AI and autonomy will "change how we deploy and use our weapons."
SpaceX will launch 36 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellites — 18 built by L3Harris and 18 built by Lockheed Martin — plus eight FOO Fighter birds built by Millennium Space Systems.
Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab USA, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies each won awards to "deliver and operate 18 space vehicles" for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer.
The new strategy calls on German MoD to develop a number of new space-based capabilities, including "effectors" to counter adversary threats on orbit such as agile spaceplanes and "bodyguard" satellites with shoot-back systems.
"When the funding will be authorized, given the shutdown and all the fun there, is a question mark," one industry source told Breaking Defense.
One analyst told Breaking Defense Golden Dome "is a motivator for sure, but this deal also provides Firefly with diversified revenue streams."