The Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) is intended to be a proliferated satellite constellation in low-Earth orbit, with new tranches projected to launch every two years, upgrading the architecture's technological baseline on a regular basis. Tranche 0 is the “demonstration” tranche, to demonstrate the feasibility of the system’s cost, schedule, and scalability for beyond line of sight targeting and advanced missile detection and tracking. Tranche 0 includes a total of 27 optically connected space vehicles divided into two main components: Transport Layer (19) and Tracking Layer (8). The Transport Layer serves as the data backbone, connecting various satellites to each other and to warfighters, while the Tracking Layer provides missile warning and tracking capabilities.
The Transport Layer consists of two configurations: Group A mesh nodes equipped with two optical communications terminals each and radio frequency receive/transmit capability, and Group B vehicles that also include a tactical data link receive/transmit capability able to connect to Link-16 transmitters. The Tracking Layer includes 8 SVs equipped with wide field of view sensor payloads and two OCTs each. Together, these satellites demonstrate low-latency data connectivity, beyond line of sight targeting, missile warning/tracking, hypersonic glide vehicle detection, and alternate position, navigation & timing (PNT) capabilities.
Tranche 1 is the initial warfighting capability tranche, delivering regional coverage. It includes a total of 154 operational space vehicles divided between Transport Layer (126) and Tracking Layer (28). The first two Tranche 1 launches, in September and October 2025, included 42 Transport Layer satellites. But as of March 2026, those satellites have not finished on-orbit checkout and functional testing processes and subsequent launches have been delayed.
Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture Technical Data
Contractors: York Space Systems (prime); Lockheed Martin (prime); SpaceX (prime); L3Harris (prime); Leidos (payload subcontractor for SpaceX); Tyvak (bus subcontractor for LMCO); Moog (bus subcontractor for L3Harris).
Operator/Location: Grand Forks AFB, N.D.; Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
Acquiring Organization: Space Development Agency.
First Launch: April 2, 2023.
IOC: Sep 4, 2024 (SpaceX).
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9.
Constellation: 20 LEO transport layer sats, 8 LEO tracking layer sats.
Active Satellites: • 19 Tranche 0 Transport Layer satellites, active. • 8 Tranche 0 Transport Layer satellites, active. • 42 Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites, active.
Weight: ~500 lbs.
Orbit Altitude: LEO.
Power: Solar array and batteries.