{"id":34280,"date":"2023-02-24T20:56:29","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T20:56:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/02\/24\/space-force-launch-plan-mirrors-shift-to-smaller-satellites\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:49:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:49:38","slug":"space-force-launch-plan-mirrors-shift-to-smaller-satellites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/space\/2023\/02\/24\/space-force-launch-plan-mirrors-shift-to-smaller-satellites\/","title":{"rendered":"Space Force launch plan mirrors shift to smaller satellites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ORLANDO \u2014 The U.S. Space Force\u2019s acquisition plan for its next phase of National Security Space Launch contracts reflects a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2022\/04\/12\/space-companies-investing-in-small-satellite-production-capacity-as-customers-shift-to-hybrid-architectures\/\" target=\"_blank\">shift toward launching more small satellites<\/a> in a more diverse range of orbits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The service <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2023\/02\/17\/space-force-sees-greater-demand-for-national-security-launch-program\/\" target=\"_blank\">announced its approach for what it calls NSSL Phase 3 on Feb. 16<\/a>, issuing a draft solicitation to allow launch companies to provide feedback before a formal call for proposals this summer. The strategy would establish two provider groups, or \u201clanes,\u201d with Lane 1 companies competing for less complex, commercial-like missions and those in Lane 2 vying for more stressing launches with unique requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two-lane approach is a departure from the service\u2019s prior contract, Phase 2, which split all National Security Space Launches between two providers: United Launch Alliance and SpaceX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the director of the Space Force\u2019s launch enterprise, told C4ISRNET this week the Space Force\u2019s approach for Phase 3 \u2014 namely the addition of a new lane for emerging launch companies \u2014 supports its changing approach to satellite programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than launch fleets of a few large, expensive satellites, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/2022\/01\/18\/air-force-research-lab-pushes-new-space-force-tack-on-hybrid-architecture\/\" target=\"_blank\">the service is eyeing what it calls \u201chybrid architectures.\u201d<\/a> These fleets of spacecraft feature a mix of small and large satellites in low and high orbits, spreading out what is now a more a consolidated capability. Officials hope this approach will make it harder for an adversary to target its satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2022\/12\/05\/how-the-space-development-agency-could-have-died-any-number-of-ways\/#:~:text=Fred%20Kennedy%2C%20SDA's%20first%20director,a%20chance%20to%20prove%20itself.&#038;text=%E2%80%9CIt%20could%20have%20died%20any,Kennedy%20said%20in%20an%20interview.\" target=\"_blank\">The Space Development Agency<\/a> is leading the service\u2019s shift toward hybrid constellations and Undersecretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2022\/11\/01\/space-forces-calvelli-issues-acquisition-guideposts\/#:~:text=Those%20tenets%20include%3A%20building%20smaller,stability%3B%20avoiding%20overclassification%3B%20delivering%20ground\" target=\"_blank\">Frank Calvelli wants other parts of the Space Force to follow suit.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe architecture changed a little bit in Phase 3,\u201d Purdy told C4ISRNET in a Feb. 22 interview at the Space Force\u2019s Space Mobility Conference in Orlando. \u201c[Undersecretary] Calvelli has been very vocal about the distributed architecture going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The acquisition team expects Phase 3 to include up to 70 launches, with about 30 awarded through Lane 1 \u2014 which is open to a larger pool of providers \u2014 and 40 in Lane 2. Companies in the first lane will have to meet some launch vehicle requirements depending on the type of mission they\u2019re supporting and those in Lane 2 must meet more stringent requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX and ULA are the only companies that qualify for Lane 2 missions, but Blue Origin, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is in the process of being certified for those launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Col. Chad Melone, senior materiel leader for the Space Force\u2019s mission solutions space acquisition delta, told reporters during Feb. 24 phone briefing that while the service is in the early days of its hybrid architecture transition, the Phase 3 acquisition strategy is intended to \u201cmake room\u201d for growth \u2014 both for companies looking to break into the military launch market and for the Space Force as it increases the resiliency of its satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe think there is a warfighter benefit to the diversity that we\u2019re going to see in Lane 1,\u201d Melone said. \u201cAs much benefit as we think there\u2019s going to be in on-ramping providers and allowing new, emerging providers to compete, we also think that the warfighter benefits from that resiliency and diversity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintaining a solid base<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Purdy, when the Space Force was initially contemplating its Phase 3 strategy, it expected to take a sharper turn away from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2020\/08\/07\/spacex-and-ula-win-massive-national-security-launch-contracts\/\" target=\"_blank\">Phase 2 approach of buying large blocks of launches from a small number of providers.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But moves in the commercial launch market caused the service to reconsider. Purdy said the launch acquisition team watched closely when Amazon in 2021 and 2022 opted to award bulk contracts to three companies to launch large portions of its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2022\/04\/06\/ula-expects-amazon-deal-to-drive-down-space-forces-vulcan-launch-costs\/\" target=\"_blank\">Project Kuiper broadband internet constellation<\/a> \u2014 an approach that was very similar to the Space Force\u2019s Phase 2 strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said the service spoke with Amazon about its strategy and those conversations reinforced the benefits of using that approach for a portion of its launches. Buying in bulk reduces launch costs and locks in sub-suppliers, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen they did that, we realized we need to make sure that we\u2019ve got a solid foundation for our most important missions, for our hardest missions,\u201d Purdy told C4ISRNET. \u201cThere was a lot of influence and discussion as a result of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Space Force plans to award contracts to two Lane 2 companies and expects to have at least three competitors in that group: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2023\/02\/24\/united-launch-alliance-vulcan-centaur-rocket-debut-pushed-to-may\/\" target=\"_blank\">incumbents ULA<\/a> and SpaceX and newcomer Blue Origin. Other companies could have their launch vehicles certified prior to the 2024 contract award, but the service hasn\u2019t signed certification agreements with other providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Col. Douglas Pentecost, deputy program executive officer for assured access to space, told reporters in the Feb. 24 briefing that both lanes have drawn significant interest from industry. In fact, 27 companies have already signed up for an industry day on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of hunger in the industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The two-lane strategy is a departure from the service\u2019s prior approach, which split all National Security Space Launches between two 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