SatNews

Satellite Industry Intelligence Since 1983

Lockheed Martin and Innoflight are strategic space avionics suppliers of 42 space vehicles on SDA T1TL program


Innoflight, Lockheed Martin and Terran Orbital Teaming for the Space Development Agency Tranche 1 Transport Layer Program

After teaming with Innoflight on T0TL, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Terran Orbital (NYSE: LLAP) are teaming again with Innoflight as a strategic avionics supplier for the SDA (Space Development Agency) T1TL program.

Last year, SDA announced the award of three prototype agreements worth approximately $1.8 billion to establish the foundation for T1TL, a mesh network of 126 optically interconnected space vehicles (SV) that will provide a resilient, low-latency, high-volume data transport communication system, and ready for launch by September 2024. Lockheed Martin was one of the awardees responsible for providing 42 SVs, to be deployed in two Low Earth Orbit (LEO) orbital planes. The T1TL objective is to form the initial warfighting capability tranche of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

Northrop Grumman’s T1TL mesh satellite constellation will provide resilient, low-latency, high-volume data transport for US military missions worldwide. Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation.

“Through our Agility Partners Marketplace, Innoflight offered innovative technologies well suited for Lockheed Martin’s satellite architecture,” said Chris Winslett, Lockheed Martin’s SDA Transport Layer Program Director. “During T0TL, Innoflight and Lockheed Martin developed a high level of synergy and collaboration that we want to move forward for T1TL and beyond.”

For T1TL, Innoflight will leverage its range of flight proven products to advance its technologies to higher levels. Specifically, Innoflight will be delivering to Lockheed Martin Type-1 “mesh network” End Cryptographic Units (ECUs), network Internet Protocol (IP) routers with Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), network Ethernet switches, flight processors with on-orbit data storage – including Battle Management Command, Control and Communications (BMC3), and precision navigation timing. Furthermore, Innoflight will be delivering to Terran Orbital S-band software-defined radios for Telemetry, Tracking, and Control (TT&C) data links, and Type-1 “bulk” ECUs.

“Innoflight is proud that Lockheed Martin entrusted us again for T1TL following the execution of the SDA T0TL program,” said Jeff Janicik, Innoflight CEO and President. “By leveraging our technology advancements and lessons learned from T0TL, together we will deliver cutting-edge technologies at volume to enable Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), which will connect warfighters from all domains (maritime, land, air, space, and cyber).”