TSAT canceled - replacement in the wings?

[docm]

<p><font size="3"><font size="3">Link.....</font></font></p><span><strong><font size="3">As Satellite Program Fails, New Plans Arise to Take its Place</font></strong></span><span> </span><span><p><font size="3">Today, the Pentagon announced that it is scrapping the work that&rsquo;s been done on advanced satellite program called Transformational Satellite program (TSAT) and opening the program to new bids. The Air Force, which has the lead on satellite programs for the Defense Department, will offer a new competition for bidders to the program. If all goes well, the first of 5 launches will now occur in 2019 rather than 2015. This is bad news for military modernization programs, like Future Combat Systems, that rely on ever-present sat communications. Fortunately this is not the only sat program the Air Force is working on.</font></p><p><span><font size="3">The Pentagon needs quick ways to get small satellites into space to fill a shortfall in battlefield communication. Military satellites were once considered to be reliably out of harm&rsquo;s way. But antisatellite weapons and solar flares threaten to transform these important pieces of communications hardware into space junk. Even if nothing goes wrong, tech-reliant U.S. forces can easily outstrip the available local bandwidth when they deploy. To fill the gap, the Air Force&rsquo;s Operationally Responsive Space program is developing smarter microsatellites that can be placed in orbit in less than a year and for under $20 million. If successful, the program could help provide reliable radio connections and reconnaissance imagery to troops on the move. <br /><br />The Air Force is sending platforms called TacSats into space, each one field-testing a new capability. One early experimental craft called TacSat-2, launched in late 2007, was equipped with a wide-band sensor that gathered radar and radio signals from the ground, and an imager to identify the signals&rsquo; sources. TacSat-3, scheduled for liftoff this year, will beam images to troops within 10 minutes of collection. In September, a fourth satellite is scheduled to rise from Alaska; it will have the ability to keep fast-moving ground units permanently linked with commanders and to provide real-time locations of friendly troops. This series of experimental satellites is paving the way for a working prototype, ORS-1, that the Air Force plans to launch in 2010. <br /><br />The U.S. Air Force is pursuing other radical satellite designs, including the new CUSat. If small satellites could inspect their brethren in orbit, the information could be used to prepare replacements. A concept hatched by the Air Force and Cornell University would launch two tiny satellites; one would take pictures of the other. Officials expect a CUSat launch late this year. </font></span></p></span> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rybanis]

I have to wonder what launchers would be used for these TacSat missions. Usually when I think military, I almost always assume its going to be Atlas V or larger... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[docm]

<p>Wasn't one of the early&nbsp;Falcon I's carrying&nbsp;a TacSat?</p><p>I believe the military is interested in&nbsp;SpaceX's ability to integrate milsats and get them on the pad quickly.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[windnwar]

If they are small enough to launch on the Falcon 1 or the upcoming upgraded Falcon 1E I can see them doing alot of business launching them. Fast time to launch and for about $30 million you have new eyes or ground communications to support a mission. The 1E gets you 1 kilo to low earth orbit, it'll be interesting to see how many launches they end up doing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font size="2" color="#0000ff">""Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." --Albert Einstein"</font></p> </div>