EXCLUSIVE: Derek Tournear reinstated as Space Development Agency director
Tournear was placed on administrative leave from his role on Jan. 16.
In response to Viasat suit, SDA will recompete 10-satellite award to Tyvak
The court filings do not provide a proposed schedule for the new bid process, but do reveal that it will be managed by officials who were not involved in overseeing the original contract awards.
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Air Force taps Rapid Capabilities Office deputy as acting SDA chief
New acting SDA head William Blauser, who came to Air Force RCO last July from Systems Technology and Research LLC in Arlington, Va., has had a long career in Defense Department acquisition, including of space systems at the National Reconnaissance Office.
EXCLUSIVE: Viasat bid protest at heart of DoD investigation of SDA head Tournear
According to several sources involved, Tournear allegedly stepped afoul of DoD contracting procedures when awarding two prototype agreements worth approximately $424 million.
What ‘really’ worries the head of the Space Development Agency
Derek Tournear said he's concerned about cybersecurity and supply chain, and especially where they overlap: foreign-written software.
Space Development Agency eyes laser link between different contractors’ birds
“I describe PWSA, the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, as the Android model,” said Space Development Agency director Derek Tournear. “If we get vendor lock, if only one works, or if they can't talk to each other, that falls apart pretty quickly.”
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SDA demos laser links crucial for future SATCOM, missile tracking network
Tournear said that the optical intersatellite link demonstration was final success in a trifecta of baseline challenges to SDA's plan to network hundreds of military satellites in LEO, as well as to eventually to integrate commercial satellites into the mix.
SDA to develop separate ground system for FOO Fighter ‘fire control’ sats
SDA Director Derek Tournear said he expects the new FOO Fighter ground segment to be up and running in December 2026, before the first satellites are launched.
Norway to host US Space Development Agency RF antenna, new Link 16 test: SDA director
“On their aircraft and their ground units, they'll be able to talk directly to us with Link 16 to our Tranche 0 satellites that are on orbit now," Derek Tournear said at the 2024 Space Symposium.
‘Real threat’: Budget impasse drags down 2 key satellite solicitations, more programs at risk
“We need a budget to be able to continue to fund this,” said Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear. “We always assume there will be a continuing resolution for a few months, but not six to 12.”
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SDA demos first-ever space-to-ground Link 16 connection
"We truly have demonstrated that the vision of JADC2 and the vision of the Joint Fires Network is a reality and we can do it," SDA Director Derek Tournear told Breaking Defense.
SDA taps York for 62 Tranche 2 Transport Layer data relay sats to provide ‘global’ coverage
"Here's the beauty of the spiral development program. I don't know what Tranche 3 looks like. All I know is it's more of what was on Tranche 2, and it is most likely going to be new capabilities," SDA Director Derek Tournear said Thursday. "I don't want to define what those capabilities are now."
SDA racing ahead with new, US-based satellite ground stations, could meet hiccup abroad
SDA Director Derek Tournear also shed some more light on the agency's new, highly secretive FOO Fighter program to develop new fire control quality tracking satellites.
Space Development Agency readies first solicitation for ‘global’ data constellation
Tournear said today that there will be a total of 216 Transport Layer satellites orbited for what the agency calls its Tranche 2 configuration, which will begin launching in 2026.