{"id":9751,"date":"2025-09-13T00:42:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T16:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/new-u-s-military-satellite-constellation-takes-shape-with-first-launch-from-vandenberg-sfb\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T00:42:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T16:42:58","slug":"new-u-s-military-satellite-constellation-takes-shape-with-first-launch-from-vandenberg-sfb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/new-u-s-military-satellite-constellation-takes-shape-with-first-launch-from-vandenberg-sfb\/","title":{"rendered":"New U.S. military satellite constellation takes shape with first launch from Vandenberg SFB"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_70850\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70850\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70850\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_SDA_T1TL_B.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_SDA_T1TL_B.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_SDA_T1TL_B-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_SDA_T1TL_B-768x354.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70850\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sept. 10, 2025. It carried 21 satellites for the Space Development Agency\u2019s Tranche 1 Transport Layer, part of the larger Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a low Earth orbit satellite constellation. Image: SpaceX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Space Development Agency took a big step in realizing a new satellite constellation to support the various branches of the U.S. military and its allies.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, the SDA, part of the U.S. Space Force (USSF), celebrated the successful launch and deployment of 21 communication satellites that are a part of the first generation or Tranche 1 of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. This was the first in a series of six launches for what it calls the Transport Layer of space vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>The SDA defines a \u201clayer\u201d as the primary function of that collection of satellites.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe start of Tranche 1 delivery, just over six years since SDA stood up as an agency, is a remarkable accomplishment highlighting the speed at which the agency moves,\u201d said SDA Acting Director Gurpartap \u2018GP\u2019 Sandhoo in a post-launch statement. \u201cMore than that, as the PWSA begins to support military operations, it will enhance our strategic advantage by serving the joint warfighting force with operational capabilities previously thought infeasible from LEO (low Earth orbit).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mission began with a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. An on time liftoff at 7:12 a.m. PDT (10:12 a.m. EDT \/ 1412 UTC) was followed by a successful recovery of the first stage booster on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean less than nine minutes later.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1965880541527359835&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2025%2F09%2F12%2Fnew-u-s-military-satellite-constellation-takes-shape-with-first-launch-from-vandenberg-sfb%2F&amp;sessionId=b42011229dd3021222381270ddeb874d9b6f5b51&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1965880541527359835\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782461845111264477=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Launch success!<img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude80\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f680.svg\">Thanks to the great team, we had liftoff of the SDA T1TL-B mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Capabilities delivered by this launch will help pave the way to the future of our integrated space-ground missile warning architecture. https:\/\/t.co\/tiJU9OFY8M pic.twitter.com\/Fo3JpQUvMg<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Space Systems Command (@USSF_SSC) September 10, 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>This was the sixth mission launched by SpaceX as part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract out of the 23 missions it was awarded by the USSF\u2019s Space Systems Command.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe NSSL team has been preparing for the start of these higher cadence operations and we are ready and eager for the remainder of SDA\u2019s T1 launches,\u201d said U.S. Space Force Col. Ryan Hiserote, Senior Materiel Leader for Assured Access to Space\u2019s (AATS) Launch Execution Delta. \u201cWe\u2019re looking ahead, focused on countering the pacing threats and cementing the launch ops responsiveness needed for the future, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Across Tranche 1, there are a total of 10 launches, including the one on Wednesday. Those break down to six for the Transporter Layer, with a total of 126 satellites; four for the Tracking Layer with 28 satellites; and there will be four missile defense demonstration satellites as well.<\/p>\n<p>In a prelaunch teleconference, Sandhoo told reporters that the SDA is aiming for a monthly launch cadence to support Tranche 1 of the constellation. Next up will be another batch of Transport Layer satellites, but this time from Lockheed Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Those are projected to launch in the second week of October onboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg. The first Tranche 1 Tracking Layer (T1TR) satellites will launch in early 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Across 2023 and 2024, SpaceX launched 27 demonstration satellites as part of a demonstration constellation called Tranche 0. That included 19 Transport satellites and eight Tracking satellites.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70828\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70828\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70828\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_Meink_Tranche-1_visit.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_Meink_Tranche-1_visit.jpeg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_Meink_Tranche-1_visit-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_Meink_Tranche-1_visit-768x511.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70828\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink along with Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) pose with Vandenberg SFB leadership in front of the Space Development Agency\u2019s Tranche 1 satellites at a satellite processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Aug. 28, 2025. Tranche 1 is slated to launch from the Vandenberg Spaceport no earlier than Sept. 10. This will be the first 21 of 126 Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites going to low-Earth orbit to deliver next-gen capability to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Image: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Daekwon Stith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>New capabilities, further reach<\/h4>\n<p>Now that these first 21 Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) satellites are safely on orbit, the SDA will take the next couple of weeks to go through early operations and checkouts to make sure that all of the systems are working as expected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve made a ton of improvements since Tranche 0. As far as our checkout timelines, we\u2019ve learned a ton from Tranche 0,\u201d said Mike Eppolito, SDA\u2019s Chief Program Officer, on Tuesday. \u201cYou\u2019re going to see our bus checkout timelines go from months down to days on Tranche 1.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tranche 1 will be operated by SDA Space Operations Centers at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.<\/p>\n<p>These first T1TL satellites will go through some early testing and then will be used by some early adopters within about four to six months. Sandhoo said that will primarily be the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, one of six Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Armed Forces.<\/p>\n<p>The SDA said the benefit of the T1TL satellites is that they will serve as a kind of relay to allow for greater transmission of sensitive communications that involve military operations. That will be done through the use of military channels, like Link 16, Ka-band radio frequency and optical communications terminals.<\/p>\n<p>Those laser communications come from subcontractor Mynaric, which is in the process of being acquired by Rocket Lab.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70825\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70825\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70825\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_SDA_T1TL-A_stack.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_SDA_T1TL-A_stack.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_SDA_T1TL-A_stack-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_SDA_T1TL-A_stack-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250909_SDA_T1TL-A_stack-678x381.jpg 678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70825\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">21 satellites manufactured by York Space Systems for Space Development Agency\u2019s upcoming Tranche 1 Transport Layer launch. Image: York Space Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ll be able to start working with our COCOMs (Combatant Commands), our joint force, to start integrating space into their operations and getting the war fighters used to using space from this construct,\u201d Sandhoo said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is different than how it has been done in the past. This is the first time we\u2019ll have a space layer actually fully integrated into our war fighting operations,\u201d he added. \u201cSpace has been around for a long, long time, but most of space has been in the intelligence collection aspect of things: ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and PNT (position, navigation and timing) and comms. But this is the first time we\u2019ll have space as part of operational fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Each launch represents one plane in a given layer. So the Tranche 1 Transporter Layer will consist of six planes. Sandhoo said the full constellation doesn\u2019t need to be on orbit before they start becoming useful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way the architecture is designed, we build this capacity up one plane at a time. So as the second plane goes up, you\u2019ll have additional capabilities,\u201d Sandhoo said. \u201cSo, it kind of scales up and as we keep adding new planes into it, we\u2019ll get to\u2026 regional capacity at the end of Tranche 1.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sept. 10, 2025. It carried 21 satellites for the Space Development Agency\u2019s Tranche 1 Transport Layer, part of the larger Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a low Earth orbit satellite constellation. Image: SpaceX The Space Development Agency [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[479,881,605,316,985,986,560,987],"class_list":["post-9751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-falcon-9","tag-space-development-agency","tag-space-systems-command","tag-spacex","tag-t1tl-b","tag-tranche-1-transport-layer","tag-u-s-space-force","tag-york-space-systems"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9751"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9751\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}