The Space Development Agency (SDA) has renamed its proliferated LEO constellation as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA. Logo: SDA

The Space Development Agency (SDA) has renamed its proliferated Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA. 

SDA announced the change on Monday, changing the name from the former National Defense Space Architecture. SDA said this change will have no impact on the mission, and it reflects the agency’s mission to “deliver needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of a proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO) constellation of satellites.”

“Maintaining technological and military advantages in space for the warfighter requires developing a resilient hybrid architecture through an integrated diversification of orbits and proliferation of satellites,” the SDA said in a Jan. 23 announcement. 

The SDA was set up in 2019 to disrupt military satellite acquisition, with a singular focus to design and build up the proliferated LEO constellation which will support end-to-end missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defense. 

The SDA has awarded a number of contracts for the constellation. Lockheed Martin and York Space Systems are contracted for Tranche 0 Transport Layer, the initial capability of a data transport network. York Space Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are building 42 satellites each for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer. 

Separately, ​​SpaceX and L3Harris are contracted for Tranche 0 Tracking layer which will provide provide missile warning and tracking information, and L3Harris and Northrop Grumman have contracts to build 14 satellites each for the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer.