The first planned prototype orders using HALO will "reduce risk and demonstrate feasibility of proliferation for future tactical data links and optical communication missions," the Space Development Agency said.
SDA will decide next March whether the UHF- and SHF-band payloads being tested by T1DES should be integrated into its next iteration of Transport Layer data relay satellites.
Balancing security and access to data are critical to providing users with trustworthy, reliable data for real-time decisions.
A decision about whether to go forward this year with Tracking Layer Tranche 1 or wait until fiscal 2023 funds are available could happen "within the next few weeks," said SDA Director Derek Tournear.