The Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) program was a

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...

(DOD) program sponsored by the U.S.

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

for a secure, high-capacity global communications network serving the

Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

and the

United States Intelligence Community United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

(IC). It was intended as an enabler of net-centric warfare that would facilitate defense and intelligence professionals making rapid decisions based on integrated, comprehensive information. In 2003, the estimated project costs for the period up to 2015 were estimated to US$ 12 billion (inflation adjusted US$ billion in ). In October 2008, the DoD announced that it was postponing making a decision on choosing a contractor to build the system until 2010. In April 2009 Secretary of Defence

Robert M. Gates Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by president George W. Bush an ...

asked that the project be canceled in its entirety.

Scope

The Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) aimed to provide the

(DoD) with high data rate Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) and Internet-like services as defined in the Transformational Communications Architecture (TCA). TSAT would have supported global net-centric operations. As the spaceborne element of the

Global Information Grid The Global Information Grid (GIG) is a network of information transmission and processing maintained by the United States Department of Defense. More descriptively, it is a worldwide network of information transmission, of associated processes, a ...

(GIG), TSAT would extend the GIG to users without terrestrial connections providing improved connectivity and data transfer capability, vastly improving satellite communications for the warfighter. TSAT's

Internet Protocol The Internet Protocol (IP) is the network layer communications protocol in the Internet protocol suite for relaying datagrams across network boundaries. Its routing function enables internetworking, and essentially establishes the Internet. IP h ...

(IP) routing would connect thousands of users through networks rather than limited point-to-point connections. TSAT would have enabled high data rate connections to Space and Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (SISR, AISR) platforms.

Capabilities and services

The TSAT program was planned as a five

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...

constellation (a sixth satellite was planned as a spare to ensure mission availability), TSAT satellite operations centers (TSOC) for on-orbit control, TSAT Mission Operations Systems (TMOS) to provide network management, and ground gateways. The TMOS single contract was awarded in January 2006. TSAT planned radio frequency ( RF) and laser communications links to meet defense and intelligence community requirements for high data rate, protected communications. The space segment aimed to make use of key technology advancements that have proven mature by independent testing of integrated subsystem brassboards to achieve a transformational leap in SATCOM capabilities. These technologies include but are not limited to: single and multi-access laser communications (to include wide field-of-view technology), Internet protocol based

packet switching In telecommunications, packet switching is a method of grouping Data (computing), data into ''network packet, packets'' that are transmitted over a digital Telecommunications network, network. Packets are made of a header (computing), header and ...

, bulk and packet encryption/decryption, battle command-on-the-move antennas, dynamic bandwidth and resource allocation techniques, and protected bandwidth efficient modulation.

Chronology

An Interim Program Review was held 22 October 2004; the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) directed the TSAT program to continue as planned to achieve the delivery, launch, and on-orbit checkout of the first TSAT satellite. In June 2003, the acquisition strategy for TSAT was approved, as stated in the FY05 PB justification. On 20 January 2004, the TSAT program entered Phase B, Risk Reduction and Design Development. Phase B space segment contracts (Cost Plus, Fixed Fee) were awarded to

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...

and

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

in late Jan 04. A $300M FY05 Congressional reduction resulted in a first launch delay from FY12 to FY13. In response to the Congressional reduction, the Air Force adjusted the FY06/07 budget. On January 27, 2006 TSAT Mission Operations System (TMOS) segment development contract, worth US$2+ Billion was awarded to Lockheed Martin. In July 2007, Lockheed Martin and

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...

announced a plan to develop an

IPv6 Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communication protocol, communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic ...

-based networking system with

Juniper Networks Juniper Networks, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The company develops and markets networking products, including routers, switches, network management software, network security products, ...

for the TSAT project.

also engaged in development related to the program. The results of the competition to select the final space segment development contractor were originally to be announced in October 2007. However, the Air Force deferred this announcement until second-quarter 2008. FY07 aimed to verify with subsystem hardware testing in a space-like environment, that technologies are mature. If a technology fails to mature, less-capable technology off-ramps exist and can be used to preserve schedule. Even the technology off-ramps will significantly enhance warfighter capabilities, and the advanced technology can be 'spiraled' into a later spacecraft. First launch was scheduled for 2QFY13. In October 2008, the DoD announced that it was deferring until 2010 a decision on choosing a contractor to build the system. The DoD did not announce whether it would continue to fund further development of the system in the interim. In December 2008, the US Air Force released a new request for proposal (RFP) to Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The new proposal calls for five satellites and ground stations providing message and data routing for US Army units, including vehicles in the new

Future Combat System Future Combat Systems (FCS) was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unpr ...

s, with the launch of the first satellite projected for 2019. The RFP requests that the new system use the specifications developed under the less-costly, designed backup system.

Program termination

On 6 April 2009, U.S. Secretary of Defense Gates announced the department's recommendations for the FY2010 budget. Among these recommendations was the plan to cancel the TSAT program. High cost, technological risk, and development delays were given as primary reasons, though some have argued that funding instability within the DoD was a primary cause of the protracted development timeline. As an interim replacement strategy, Secretary Gates recommended the fielding of two additional AEHF satellites.

Scope

Capabilities and services

Chronology

Program termination

References

Notes

External links

See also