Raytheon Taps CesiumAstro to Supply Phased Array for SDA Tracking Layer 

Rendering of missile tracking satellites. Photo: CesiumAstro

Raytheon Technologies has tapped CesiumAstro to supply phased array communications payloads to support its contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA) for the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer.

CesiumAstro will provide its Vireo active electronically scanned array (AESA) radio frequency (RF) communications payload for Raytheon’s seven-vehicle missile tracking satellite constellation. CesiumAstro said it will be the first Ka-band, multi-beam communications system in the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). The array is software-defined and designed to provide resilient, low-latency, high- volume data transport to simultaneous users.

“These types of missions require speed and resilience,” said David Broadbent, president of Space and C2 at Raytheon Intelligence and Space. “By integrating AESA technology as part of our overall solution, we are setting an unprecedented standard, allowing for the swift transfer of critical information and giving our military forces a decisive advantage.”

Raytheon announced the SDA contract, worth more than $250 million, in March. Raytheon’s satellites will feature Raytheon’s Wide Field of View overhead persistent infrared sensor, and technology from two of Raytheon’s previous acquisitions — Blue Canyon Technologies‘ Saturn-class microsatellite bus, and Seakr Engineering‘s electronics payload.  

“We are proud to provide the first AESA for the PWSA, enabling multi-beam RF mission data support for the warfighter,” commented Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro. 

CesiumAstro previously received an SDA award to advance the company’s multi-beam L-band active electronically scanned array antenna, which is Link-16 compatible. This new contract announced Thursday, however, is for the company’s Ka-band array.