
The Space Development Agency (SDA) last Thursday issued a draft solicitation for the third tranche of its transport layer of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which will require 40 spacecraft split between two companies for data and communications to support global warfighting missions. The unique capabilities planned for the Upsilon variant of the Tranche 3 Transport Layer (T3TLu) include S-band tactical satellite communication (TACSATCOM), UHF TACSATCOM, Integrated Broadcast Service-LEO, and Global Navigation Satellite System situational awareness mission payloads, SDA said in…