The Space Development Agency has opened a competition for the ground stations that will pull missile-warning data down from its tracking satellites.
SDA released a request for proposals on Sept. 18 for ground entry points supporting its Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking effort, part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Proposals are due Nov. 2 by 4:00 pm ET. SpaceNews reported the contract is worth up to $369M.
The scope covers multiple sites around the world rather than one hub. Contractors would handle site preparation and development, then supply, install and integrate communications shelters, antennas and antenna electronics, optical terminals and optical electronics, plus the networking gear and software that ties each site together.
Why the ground half of the constellation matters
Tracking satellites are only useful if their data reaches shooters. The tracking layer is built to pass missile warning and tracking data straight to tactical data links from low Earth orbit, which makes the downlink chain part of the weapon system instead of a support service. Optical terminals in the scope suggest SDA wants laser links landing on the ground too, not just radio frequency.
Spreading entry points across the planet shortens the path from satellite to user and adds redundancy when a site is degraded. It also multiplies the number of fixed, identifiable facilities an adversary can map and attack, the same tension SDA faces in orbit as it builds out a proliferated fleet to avoid single points of failure.
The solicitation lands as Congress weighs legislation that could dissolve the agency outright.
