York Space Systems’ T1TL full stack of 21 satellites. Photo: York Space Systems

York Space Systems said on Monday that it has delivered 21 communications satellites — what are to be the first non-prototype Space Development Agency (SDA) birds to contribute to military operations by linking sensors to shooters in seconds.

SDA declined to say when the first Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) satellites will be launched, but York said it will occur by the end of this summer. The launch schedule website “Rocket Monkey” is projecting a Sept. 10 launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

York said its space vehicles still need to be integrated with the rocket.

The launch will mark the debut of warfighting capability of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture that includes spacecraft in Low-Earth Orbit for secure, low latency data transport, and to detect and track launches of ballistic and advanced missiles. SDA had originally hoped to begin the T1TL launches last fall but supply chain challenges, particularly with optical communications terminals for the satellites, led to delays.

The T1TL satellites will feature Link 16 connectivity, which will enable intelligence obtained by Tracking Layer satellites to be sent to air, sea, and ground-based command and control, and other warfighter nodes to be acted upon to close kill chains more quickly.

Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and York in February 2022 each won contracts from SDA worth a combined $1.8 billion to provide 126 T1TL satellites. York’s contract is for $382 million for 42 spacecraft that will be launched into two near-polar LEO planes.

SDA declined to say when the remaining T1TL satellites will be delivered.

The agency previously launched more than two dozen combined Tranche 0 Tracking and Transport Layer space vehicles that have been used to demonstrate and experiment with various technologies. The Tranche 0 birds are not meant for operations.

Melanie Preisser, York’s vice president and general manager, said in a statement the pending launch “marks the operational beginning of a new era in national security space, one defined by responsiveness, capacity, and real-world performance.”

This story was first published by Defense Daily