THE Space Development Agency has not yet proven laser communications technology in orbit – a key principle for the ability of the Ministry of Defense to quickly transmit critical war data in the future, according to new discoveries from the US government surveillance organization.
Although SDA planned to validate the usefulness of technology Slice 0 of the architecture of the proliferated fighter space (Pwa), the agency “has not yet demonstrated the entire range of its laser communication technology in space using its new standard (communication optics)” from December 2024, the Government Accountability Office wrote in A new report Posted Wednesday.
Consequently, the watchdog recommends that SDA finish the tests of the “minimum viable product” for laser link technology before continuing future efforts – otherwise the organization risks going ahead with the development of PwSA without incorporating critical lessons learned.
Laser communications in orbit implies the use of optical communication terminals (OCT) to transmit data via laser links between satellites, as well as receptors located on land, at sea and in the air. Technology is considered to have several advantages compared to radio frequencies traditionally used by the Department of Defense for Communications, such as the possibility of sending data more quickly and more solidly.
Laser communications are at the heart of the planned mega-container of the SDA known as PwSA, envisaged as hundreds of satellites stationed in low orbit which create a “network of mesh” of data relays, missile warning and missile monitoring capacities for American soldiers. However, the agency previously declared that laser links prove that the laser will be a difficult technological obstacle – a fact also noted in the new Gao report.
“(T) its technology is much more complex, and the space force works with several suppliers to develop it. However, the number of suppliers involved adds additional complexity to the overall effort, “said the document. “Among other things, spatial force must ensure that different optical optical communication terminals (OCT), the devices used to establish laser data transmission links, are able to communicate with each other.”
The guard dog noted that SDA has taken measures to prove technology, such as the development of an OCT government standard, carrying out oct laboratory tests and ripening various component capacities. But overall, the efforts to fully demonstrate the spatial laser links on the experimental satellites of the agency known as tranche 0 have not evolved as quickly as expected, according to Gao.
Delays have been widely attributed to Deposit of the supply chain This pushed the launch of the constellation for several months. SDA also stopped in the demonstration of laser links in orbit due to challenges in the coordination of soil support and the agency’s hierarchy of other technologies in relation to laser communications, added the report.
“More specifically, in December 2024, SDA reported that one of her four main entrepreneurs (tranche 0) had demonstrated three of the eight laser communication capacities, while another entrepreneur had demonstrated one of the eight capacities,” wrote GAO officials. “The other two entrepreneurs have not yet obtained planned capacities.”
In January, York Space Systems and SpaceX announced that they had successfully demonstrated a laser connection connection Between two of their satellites contrasts 0. However, the GAO report stressed that the two companies use the OCT developed by the same subcontractor, which means that “SDA has not yet demonstrated a link between two oct suppliers in space as originally provided”.
In addition, the watchdog says that the agency plans to launch the first operational batch of PwSA satellites – known as tranche 1 – in the coming months without having fully demonstrated that its habilifying technology does not align with best practices for fast delivery of complex technology.
Nicknamed the “spiral development”, the SDA acquisition approach for PWSA implies rapid commissioning systems through increasing “slices” every two years, allowing each phase to rely on previous iterations and to ensure that the fighters use the most advanced technology available.
“Our main practices point out that prioritization of the calendar – as SDA did – and the use of an iterative development approach can support the delivery of products with speed to users,” said the report. “However, our main practices note that speed cannot be done at the cost of demonstrating critical capacity.”
The Watchdog noted that SDA has the intention of demonstrating a 0 mesh slice network before launching Slice 1 – although the agency only tests some of the capacities it originally provided. At the same time, the report pointed out that SDA’s objective to considerably increase both the number of PwSA satellites in orbit and the complexity of their capacities could be compromised if the agency has not demonstrated the success of the previous slices.
“Since (slicen 1) and (Tranche 2) Are already in development, SDA may have limited opportunities to incorporate design modifications required in these conceptions, ”wrote officials. “The incorporation of design changes in these slices could potentially delay capacity, which means that laser communication capacity required to support several DOD missions may not be available for Warfighter as expected.”
Gao said the Pentagon had designed with the four recommendations of the report, but added that the ministry “believes that it already implements our recommendations” – a position with which the guard dog did not agree.
“The evidence presented throughout our project and our final report support our opinion that SDA does not already take the measures we recommend. We continue to believe that SDA will benefit from taking measures aimed at implementing our recommendations, ”concluded Gao.
The report of the report comes after weeks of controversy surrounding the space development agency, which currently has its semi-independent acquisition authority examined by the Pentagon, according to a report Defense of rupture. At the same time, the Air Force department has placed the director of SDA Derek Tournear administrative investigation Following a supply protest which has since encouraged the agency to award one of the PwSA contracts.