Search

Space Development Agency Expects To Resume Tranche 1 Launches In Early 2026

Space Development Agency Expects To Resume Tranche 1 Launches In Early 2026
Pictured is a SpaceX photo of the Sept. 10th liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Space Development Agency Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites. "Tranche 1 launches will continue with an approximate cadence of one launch per month for the next nine months, using National Security Space Launch providers, until the full space vehicle constellation is on orbit," U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command said last month.

After launching the first two batches of its Tranche 1 satellites in September and October, the Space Development Agency (SDA) has paused additional launches until “early 2026” while one of its vendors sorts out a readiness issue and because of facility challenges, the agency said last Friday. Once the launch of the first 21 Transport Layer satellites occurred in September, SDA’s goal was to continue one launch per month for 10 straight months to get its constellation of 154 Tranche…

Subscriber-only content. Please log in below.

Not a subscriber or registered user yet?

Please contact us at clientservices@accessintel.com or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.



Congress Updates

SASC’s FY ‘27 NDAA Sticks With Army’s Plan For Legacy Aviation Procurement Cuts

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) version of the next defense policy sticks to the Army’s proposed plan to cut procurement of its legacy aviation fleet, and does not authorize […]


SASC Approves $1.14 Trillion FY ‘27 NDAA With ‘Right to Repair’ Reform, Stock Buyback Restriction

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has approved its $1.14 trillion version of the next defense policy bill, adopting “right to repair” reform to provide the military services’ greater ability […]


House Appropriators Unveil $1.07 Trillion FY ‘27 Defense Bill, Restore Funds For E-7, Army Aviation

House appropriators on Wednesday released their $1.07 trillion fiscal year 2027 defense spending bill, with the legislation reversing Army aviation cuts, restoring funding for the Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail program […]


MOSA Implementation By Pentagon Lagging, GAO Official Says

While the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) has been a requirement for major defense acquisition programs since January 2019 and other Defense Department acquisitions since January 2021, few programs are […]