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 United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...

(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 army aviati ...

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

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

and the

United States Intelligence Community The United States Intelligence Community (IC) is a group of separate US federal government, U.S. federal government intelligence agencies and subordinate organizations that work to conduct Intelligence assessment, intelligence activities which ...

(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 appointed by President George W. Bush and retained b ...

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 (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 ...

(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 an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

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 short messages in fixed format, i.e. ''network packet, packets,'' that are transmitted over a digital Telecommunications network, network. Packets consi ...

, 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 Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...

and

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

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 manufacturer, aerospace and Arms industry, defense company. With 97,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $40 billion, it is one of the world's largest Arms industry ...

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 Router (computing), routers, Network switch, switches, network management so ...

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 Systems, 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