The Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM is a set of geostationary satellites designed to provide communications relay capabilities to support senior leaders and combatant commanders. The CBAS system includes two satellites in geostationary orbit designed to broadcast military data continuously through space-based satellite communications relay links. The satellites enhance existing military satellite communications capabilities by providing additional relay capacity for time-sensitive information. The system supports the communication needs of senior leadership and combat commanders with secure, reliable data transmission.
The first CBAS satellite (CBAS-1) was successfully launched on April 14, 2018, from Cape Canaveral as the primary payload on the AFSPC-11 mission aboard an Atlas V rocket directly into geostationary orbit. CBAS- 2 was subsequently launched on Jan. 15, 2023, on a Falcon Heavy rocket as part of the USSF-67 mission. A third satellite (CBAS-3) is planned for future deployment to further enhance the constellation's capabilities. The system transitioned from U.S. Air Force to U.S. Space Force operations following the creation of the Space Force in December 2019. CBAS is managed by Space Systems Command, formerly the Military Satellite Communication Director of USAF’s Space and Missile Defense Center.
Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM Technical Data
Contractor: Boeing
Operator/Location:: USSF CFC; Schriever SFB, Colo.
Acquisition Organization: Military Satellite Communication Director of USAF’s Space and Missile Defense Center (now Space Systems Command.)
First Launch: CBAS 1, March 14, 2018.
IOC: 2018
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V (GEO). Falcon Heavy.
Constellation: Two GEO satellites.
Active Satellites: •CBAS 1. Launched in 2018; active. •CBAS 2. Launched in 2023; active.
Dimensions: Not publicly available.
Weight: 4,400-6,600 lb. (GEO on orbit).
Orbit Altitude: Geostationary.
Power: Deployable solar array, (GEO). Batteries.