A batch of 21 satellites manufactured by York Space Systems are prepared for encapsulation in a SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing ahead of launching the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer E (T1TL-E) mission. Image: SpaceX
The Space Development Agency is set to launch its third batch of operational satellites designed to improve secure communications between members of the U.S. military and its allies across the globe aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from California.
The SDA’s constellation, the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), consists of a series of series of interconnected satellites with varying focuses, from missile tracking to navigation. The satellites launching on Thursday afternoon are part of the communications layer, referred to as the Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL).
Liftoff of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 1:32 p.m. PDT (4:32 p.m. EDT / 2032 UTC).
Spaceflight Now will have live coverage beginning about an hour prior to liftoff.
