SDA to Launch After 9-Month Pause, On-Orbit Challenges

SDA resumes satellite launch campaign following months-long pause, tech issues

The Space Development Agency has successfully launched its third plane of operational data transport satellites Thursday — officially ending a nine-month pause in deployments to address software and hardware issues discovered in the initial satellites launched in 2025. The batch of 21 Tranche 1 transport layer birds were hoisted into low-Earth orbit (LEO) via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California…

SDA resumes satellite launches after months-long pause

“We did see software and hardware issues on the ones on orbit right now. That's why we delayed and took a pause,” Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo said.

SDA resumes data relay satellite launch following tech fixes

WASHINGTON — The Space Development Agency (SDA) is restarting launch of it first-generation Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites following what the agency called a “strategic pause” designed to fix technical problems discovered in the initial 42 birds lofted last year, according to the agency’s top official. The agency is planning to launch 21 Tranche 1...

SDA to Launch After 9-Month Pause, On-Orbit Challenges

The Space Development Agency is on track to resume the launch campaign for its low-Earth orbit satellite constellation this week after a nine-month pause to fix hardware and software issues that arose on orbit with its first operational satellites. The agency launched 42 satellites in September and October 2025, all built by York Space Systems and Lockheed Martin. At the time, officials said they were planning an ambitious schedule of a launch …

Space Development Agency resumes key satellite launches after delays, watchdog criticisms

Meanwhile, Congress may dissolve SDA into the Space Force.

SDA Set To Resume Launches Thursday With Second Plane Of York Transport Layer Satellites

After a nine month pause in launches, the Space Development Agency (SDA) on Thursday plans to launch the next plane of 21 York Space Systems [YSS] data transport satellites into […]