Space Development Agency Space Mesh Networking Capabilities and Interoperability RFI

SDA is responsible for defining and monitoring the Department's future threat-driven space architecture and accelerating the development and fielding of new military space capabilities necessary to ensure our technological and military advantage in space for national defense. To achieve this mission, SDA will unify and integrate next-generation space capabilities to deliver the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), a resilient military sensing and data transport capability via a proliferated space architecture primarily in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). SDA will not necessarily develop and field all capabilities of the NDSA but rather orchestrate those efforts across DoD and fill in gaps in capabilities while providing the integrated architecture. Initially the NDSA is comprised of the following layers, addressing the critical priorities for space identified within the DoD Space Vision: Transport Layer, to provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms; Battle Management Layer, to provide architecture tasking, mission command and control, and data dissemination to support time-sensitive kill chain closure at campaign scales; Tracking Layer, to provide global indications, warning, tracking, and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems; Custody Layer, to provide 24x7, all-weather custody of time-sensitive, left-of-launch surface mobile targets (e.g., to support targeting for advanced missiles); Navigation Layer, to provide alternate position, navigation, and timing (A-PNT) for GPS-denied environments; Deterrence Layer, to deter hostile action in deep space (beyond Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) up to lunar distances); Support Layer, to enable ground and launch segments to support a responsive space architecture. SDA's mission begins and ends with the warfighter. SDA recognizes that sufficient or "good enough" capabilities in the hands of warfighter sooner may be better than delivering the perfect solution too late. SDA will deliver capabilities to our joint warfighting forces in two-year tranches. Tranche 0, or the warfighter immersion tranche, will be delivered as early as Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and consists of tens of satellites providing periodic, regional sensing and data transport capabilities, including the capability to detect hypersonic glide vehicles and to disseminate time-sensitive targeting solutions over tactical data links. SDA anticipates issuing separate solicitations for each of the capability layers in each tranche. For Tranche 0, SDA anticipates issuing the Transport Layer solicitation in Spring 2020, followed closely by other solicitations through Summer 2020. SDA is seeking industry feedback on in-space mesh networking capabilities and interoperability to inform SDA’s future solicitations, including the Transport Tranche 0 solicitation anticipated for Spring 2020. Please see the Attachment for details and submission instructions.