SpaceX F9 - Transport Layer, Tranche 0, Flight 1 - SLC-4E

Launch Date: April 2
Launch Window: 7:29am PDT (10:129am EDT, 14:29 UTC) - 1hr 54min window
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Core Booster Recovery: RTLS - LZ-4
Booster: B1075.2
Fairings: Reused
Mass: 10 Tranche satellites - 5 tonnes?
Orbit: LEO
Yearly Launch Number: 22

First launch of SDA Transport and Tracking Layer satellites. The Transport layer is an interoperable mesh network of satellites intended to provide periodic low-latency and high-capacity data connectivity, while the Tracking Layer consists of interconnected satellites with cross-links and wide field of view infrared sensors for hypersonic missile tracking.

T0TL A-Class 1, ..., 6 (Transport Layer Tranche 0 A-Class, Checkmate)

The Transport Layer is an experimental military satellite constellation developed by the SDA (Space Development Agency), which will serve as the ba...

space.skyrocket.de

https://www.sda.mil/transport/

Lockheed Martin to Build 10 Small Satellite Mesh Network in Two Years

LITTLETON, Colo., Sept. 1, 2020 – The Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded a Tranche 0 contract of the Space Transport Layer to Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) to demonstrate a mesh network of 10...

news.lockheedmartin.com

 

[Cosmacelf]

Space Development Agency’s missile warning satellites transmit first images

Space Development Agency’s missile warning satellites transmit first images

spacenews.com

The next set should launch this summer on a F9.
View attachment 948447

That article/tweet implies SpaceX built two of those satellites??

 

[Grendal]

That article/tweet implies SpaceX built two of those satellites??

Nice catch! The SDA says in their tweet they were made by SpaceX. Apparently SpaceX is involved in building satellites for them. This article talks about the upcoming launch and says that the satellites being launched are from Lockheed Martin, York Space, and SpaceX. The SpaceX ones are specifically the "missile tracking" satellites. Very interesting.

Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late June

Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late June

spacenews.com

 

[Cosmacelf]

Nice catch! The SDA says in their tweet they were made by SpaceX. Apparently SpaceX is involved in building satellites for them. This article talks about the upcoming launch and says that the satellites being launched are from Lockheed Martin, York Space, and SpaceX. The SpaceX ones are specifically the "missile tracking" satellites. Very interesting.

Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late June

Space Development Agency to launch 13 satellites in late June

spacenews.com

Right? I mean, these aren't offensive weapons, but SpaceX is sliding towards being a full military contractor. Not that there's anything wrong with that, Lord knows the US could use some much welcomed competition in that area. But yeah, fascinating. Maybe Elon will get his remote island volcano lair yet.

 

[ecarfan]

That article/tweet implies SpaceX built two of those satellites??

It doesn’t imply, it plainly states:

“First tracking sats, built by SpaceX, achieved first light: infrared images using wide-field-of-view sensors,” the agency said

I had no idea SpaceX had that capability.

 

[bxr140]

The SDA says in their tweet they were made by SpaceX. Apparently SpaceX is involved in building satellites for them.

SX is just taking a page out of the Boeing handbook and letting The Man subsidize platform development.
(To ward off any pearl clutching, that's not an insult, its highlighting smart business.)