07/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/26/2024 13:28
EMERADO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today announced that he is working to expand the Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite mission at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Hoeven made the announcement with SDA Director Dr. Derek Tournear while reviewing progress on the facilities being developed at the Grand Forks Air Force Base for the SDA's low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite mission, which will serve as the backbone for all U.S. military communications. The priorities Hoeven is working to advance include:
"SDA operations in Grand Forks are ready for takeoff. When the Tranche 1 LEO satellites launch this year, Operations Center North will be squarely in the middle of military operations across the globe, but our efforts don't stop there. We've worked to ensure both the ops center and the TAC have enough capacity to house future SDA operations, like the Advanced Fire Control capabilities that are currently being developed," said Senator Hoeven. "AFC will enable mission-critical satellite info to be relayed to our warfighters in real time, giving the U.S. and its allies a strategic advantage. Between LEO, future AFC operations and the SkyRange hypersonic missile testing program at Grand Sky, this region is truly positioned to lead in the future of our nation's defense. That's not only good for our security, but will benefit the economy throughout the Red River Valley."
"The Grand Forks community has provided outstanding support for SDA and the crucial work we are doing to deliver the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture," said Derek Tournear, director of SDA. "Our Tranche 1 Space Networking Operations Center is nearing completion and we're growing the role of the TCC into a more comprehensive center aimed at operating our future advanced fire control satellites in addition to onboarding the new tranches. So, we're renaming the TCC to Technology Acceleration Center, or TAC, to more properly reflect the growing impact of the center."
Standing up SDA's LEO Mission
In 2021, Senator Hoeven announced Air Force approval to stand-up SDA's new LEO satellite mission at Grand Forks, following his efforts with the SDA, including Director Tournear, and Senator Kevin Cramer. Over time, the mission could include not only operating SDA satellites but linking them with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which would complement the base's role in the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Prior to this, Hoeven hosted Tournear in North Dakota to outline efforts to establish the new center and announce the new laser communications project, which SDA is pursuing in conjunction with General Atomics. The senator also joined Tournear to review launch operations at Cape Canaveral, where the SDA launched five satellites central to the space networking center and the General Atomics project.
Operations Center North will support the first layer of the SDA's satellite operations, which is designed to transport data and facilitate communications. SDA will begin launching that tranche of satellites this year, with additional layers to follow, including:
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