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A new constellation with laser comms and compatibility with the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture is now taking shape.
By Breaking DefenseWhy cloud modernization is critical to multi-domain operations
JADC2 is a forcing function, driving digital transformation of network infrastructure.
“Translator” payloads are necessary because many of today’s commercial remote sensing providers do not, and will not, have the ability to equip their satellites with optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) required to link to the agency’s Transport Layer birds, said SDA Director Derek Tournear.
By Theresa Hitchens
“I think what people will find is that this type of advancement, going from ground-to-space, changes the whole space economy,” Aalyria’s CEO Chris Taylor said. “I think it’s going to be monumental.”
By Theresa Hitchens
Mandrake 2’s next trick, after demonstrating optical intersatellite links, will be using lasers for space-to-ground communications.
By Theresa Hitchens
Slingshot 1 is a 12-unit CubeSat, about the size of a shoebox, carrying 19 experimental payloads — 16 of which were designed by Aerospace’s lab. The experiments range from on-board processing software to a novel small thruster engine.
By Theresa Hitchens
“I’m focusing on laser communication terminals because I think that’s the strongest candidate to build in the US,” Rob Geckle, CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, told Breaking Defense.
By Theresa Hitchens
Included among the STP-3 mission’s payloads is NASA’s Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) aimed at enabling higher speed communications across the vast region of space between the Earth and Mars.
By Theresa Hitchens
B-21, hypersonics and more: How digital development is driving industry innovation
Technological advancements are key to keeping pace with customer demands and evolving threat landscapes.
Two of the experiments, each involving two satellites, are focused on laser links: one between satellites themselves; the other from satellites to a MQ-9 Reaper drone on the ground.
By Theresa Hitchens The Transport Layer will form a ‘mesh network’ of communications/data relay satellites, linking all DoD command and control networks, to enable JADC2.
By Theresa Hitchens
Directly linking SDA data transport and NRO imaging satellites is one option under discussion to speed transfer of target tracking data to warfighters, SDA Director Derek Tournear says.
By Theresa Hitchens
“Information gathered up to and through Tracking Layer Tranche 0 will help inform decisions about future tranches, including how many and which types of sensors should be flown to provide the warfighter a complete advanced missile threat solution,” SDA spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea says.
By Theresa Hitchens
Risk reduction missions this year “are separate flights to prove technologies” and not part of the planned 20-satellite Blackjack constellation, explains program manager Rusty Thomas.
By Theresa Hitchens
SDA’s “data transport” satellites will be a key enabler of JADC2, says director Derek Tournear.
By Theresa Hitchens
“Our fully networked C3 [Command, Control, & Communications] will look completely different” from current satellites and terminals, said OSD’s Doug Schroeder.
By Theresa Hitchens
