Rocket Lab National Security LLC has successfully completed the company’s Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta (T2TL-Beta) program — this milestone marks a critical step in Rocket Lab’s mission as a prime contractor to deliver 18 advanced, data transport satellites for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
The milestone positions Rocket Lab to move into the detailed design phase of the $515 million firm-fixed-price contract awarded in early 2024. Under this agreement, Rocket Lab will design, integrate, test, and commission the 18 T2TL-Beta satellites. Rocket Lab leads a capable team of payload providers to provide vital capacity to the PWSA, a cutting-edge low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation designed to provide secure, low-latency communications and missile tracking to the warfighter.
The PDR is a comprehensive multi-day milestone that ensures the satellite design meets rigorous mission requirements and establishes a solid foundation for production, testing, and operations. The review covered the mission architecture, the space vehicle, launch, operations, and ground systems, along with planned integration and test activities, requirements, technology maturity plans, and overall operational concept.
All 18 satellites will use Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated subsystems and components, including solar panels, composite structures, star trackers, reaction wheels, radios, flight & ground software, avionics, launch dispensers, and more. This high degree of vertical integration gives Rocket Lab a unique level of control over its supply chain, enabling efficiencies and certainty on cost, schedule, and quality.
“This milestone underscores Rocket Lab’s commitment to delivering world-class satellite solutions for national defense,” said President and CEO of Rocket Lab National Security, Brad Clevenger. “Our vertically integrated approach and innovative technologies enable us to meet demanding requirements with precision and efficiency. With this achievement, we are one step closer to deploying advanced satellite systems that will strengthen U.S. defense capabilities in space.”