Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking - Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking - Low Earth Orbit (LEO), falls under the Space Development Agency (SDA) and aims to develop and demonstrate next-generation space capabilities for the joint warfighter enabled by proliferation of satellites in LEO and a new acquisition model utilizing rapid spiral development. The program's specific goals include developing capabilities to address a wide range of Department of Defense (DoD) space needs as stated in the National Defense Strategy and DoD Space Vision, including advanced missile tracking and global surveillance enabling beyond-line-of-sight targeting. The program element funds the development and demonstration of space technologies to deliver Missile Warning, Missile Tracking, and Missile Defense (MW/MT/MD) capabilities including advanced missile tracking and fire control support to U.S. joint warfighting forces in bi-annual tranches, beginning in FY 2022. The program also includes plans for Tranche 1 activities for space vehicle development, delivery, and test, as well as Tranche 2 activities.

The program's objectives include rapidly developing, deploying, and demonstrating prototype architecture that enables resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking/Missile Defense enabled by a proliferated Low Earth Orbit (pLEO) architecture. Specific plans for FY 2023 include finalizing design through Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) for the Tracking Layer Tranche 1 space vehicles, holding space vehicle Production Readiness Reviews (PRRs), beginning assembly, integration, and testing (AI&T), initiating ground systems Missile Warning/Missile Tracking/Missile Defense (MW/MT/MD) integration at Tranche 1 Mission Operations Centers and MW/MT/MD enterprise locations, continuing MW/MT/MD force design analysis, and continuing prototype efforts to integrate Fire Control systems into PWSA for Missile Defense. Additionally, plans for FY 2024 include completing Optical Interoperability Testing (OIT) with Tranche 1 Transport Layer space vehicles to ensure optical connectivity, completing payload proto-qual assembly, integration and testing (AI&T), producing payloads and space buses and conducting qualification testing, integrating payloads and buses and beginning final space vehicle system AI&T, supporting ground activities to ensure integration with Operations Centers and prepare for Missile Warning/Missile Tracking integration, completing space vehicle flat sat development and beginning operations testing, completing Tracking space vehicle component deliveries and vehicle assembly and integration, performing Tracking payload ground calibration, beginning space vehicle environmental test campaigns, as well as fire control prototype build. These objectives are aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

The program's acquisition strategy partners may include the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Space Systems Command (SSC), DoD Combatant Commands, DoD research centers, small businesses, large defense contractors, commercial space providers, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and University Affiliated Research Centers. The program is acquiring SDA's Tranche 1 Missile Warning/Missile Tracking/Missile Defense space systems via Firm Fixed Price contracts conducted in accordance with Other Transaction Authority (OT) for prototyping processes.