After two days of delays, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its cargo provided an early morning wakeup call for the Lompoc Valley and surrounding areas on Saturday.
The rocket — carrying another 13 satellites for the military’s new missile-tracking and data-relay system using a new philosophy for buying and launching payloads — lifted off at 7:25 a.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
About seven minutes later, the first-stage booster sounded loudly on its return to Vandenberg.
More than an hour after liftoff, officials declared the launch successful after confirming satellite deployment.
For Saturday’s mission, the rocket carried an assortment of satellites for the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA. This was the second set of spacecraft for the Tranche 0 phase.
“Through these first two T0 launches, we’ve demonstrated that SDA can keep a schedule to deliver enhanced capabilities every two years,” said Derek Tournear, SDA director.
“While the launch is very exciting news, it’s what we will demonstrate on orbit that really matters— the ability to provide the warfighter with tactical data links, beyond line of sight targeting, and the missile warning/missile tracking of advanced missiles.”
Flying on Saturday’s mission were two SpaceX-built tracking satellites, one York Space Systems transport satellite, and 10 Lockheed Martin Corp. satellites for the data transport layer.
Along with upgrading the technology, the PWSA program features a different approach to fielding a military satellite system by envisioning hundreds of smaller satellites proliferating space using a layered development philosophy.
Tranche 0, with 27 satellites in orbit, will serve as a demonstration phase, showing off tactical data links, beyond-line-of-sight targeting, and advanced missile detection and tracking.
SDA, which formed in 2019 and now falls under the U.S. Space Force, has been dubbed “a constructive disruptor for space acquisition,” according to Jennifer Elzea, SDA’s chief of strategic engagement.
SDA’s focus is harnessing commercial development to deliver a proliferated constellation of satellites, generally smaller satellites than what you’ve traditionally seen from DOD,” Elzea said.
Tranche 0 initially called for a pair of rocket launches to place all 28 satellites in space.
However in recent months, SDA officials have added a third launch that will deliver the four L3Harris Technologies satellites after a manufacturing delay involving the firm supplying the spacecraft bus, or satellite frame.
Those satellites will hitch a ride in a partnership with the Missile Defense Agency sometime before the end of the year.
SDA officials also have tweaked the number of craft that will be delivered to space during the Tranche 0 phase, saying it will add up to 27.
One spacecraft will remain on the ground as a testbed, allowing ground crews to try out upgrades before deploying them to those orbiting Earth.
Future phases will include many more satellites, with Tranche 1 to have 150 craft.
An early April launch delivered Tranche 0’s first 10 satellites, eight of which were built by York with two others by SpaceX and officials recently reported on their performance.
“I’m incredibly happy with the progress we’ve made with the satellites that we have on orbit at this point,” said Mike Eppolito, SDA’s program director for Tranche 0.
The tracking satellites have achieved a key milestone known as “first light,” or obtaining the first images.
For the initial data relay satellites, crews continue to perform typical post-launch checkout chores while awaiting resolution of a glitch on the ground — an outstanding policy issue partially blamed on SDA’s efforts to transform space acquisition.
“I will tell you that part of SDA’s demonstrating this new way of doing business is going to be dragging some of that policy along and making sure that we get policy changes on a timely basis that satisfies the pace at which we’re building these satellites,” Eppolito said.