TESAT has delivered the first SDA Tranche 1 Transport Layer Optical Communication Terminals (OCTs) to Lockheed Martin.
The OCTs are now in place for integration on 42 smallsats that Lockheed Martin is building for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer. The Transport Layer provides low-latency and high-volume data connectivity for SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
In the previous OCT product release, designed for SDA Tranche 0 Transport and Tracking Layer, TESAT delivered, in total, 58 OCTs to five different satellite manufacturers. Out of those 58 OCTs, 48 units are on-orbit today — 46 units are on SDA’s Tranche 0 satellite network that launched earlier this year and provides a resilient network of integrated capabilities.
In preparation for the SDA Tranche 1 Flight Model delivery, TESAT successfully performed interoperability tests with a third party, using an Engineering Model out of TESATs high volume OCT manufacturing line. With the successful interoperability testing of the Engineering Model, TESAT`s OCTs are ready to exchange data with other third-party products.
The improved design of the OCT for SDA Tranche 1 consists of a Dual EU, the combination of two optical heads with one Electronic Unit (EU), to save weight and space on satellite payloads with a transmission rate of 2.5 Gbps. TESAT is currently ramping up its production capacity, utilizing a new manufacturing building at the site that is close to completion. With the adjusted production capacity of OCTs and the resulting cost reduction, TESAT is prepared to deliver the necessary amount for LEO OCTs to satisfy future market needs.