York Space Systems has successfully gotten its laser communications system working on its recently launched satellites for the Space Force’s nascent Low Earth Orbit network, a major step forward for the ambitious Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Derek Tournear, the director of the Space Development Agency, told reporters that the next step is to link York’s satellites to SpaceX’s satellites, forming a complete mesh network.
This seamless machine-to-machine exchange of data is critical to the Pentagon’s emerging global battle network, known as CJADC2. Tournear described PWSA as the „Android model” of space architecture, allowing for open architecture where any company can plug and play its products as long as they meet certain common standards. He emphasizes that the government isn’t concerned with the details of the technology itself, but rather focuses on ensuring compatibility. This approach, according to Tournear, will build a thriving market with multiple vendors, driving down prices and fostering innovation.
Tournear expressed confidence that the technology will work in orbit because it has been extensively tested on the ground. He highlighted the rigorous testing done at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to ensure interoperability between vendors and the government gold standard.
With the success of Tranche 0, which has demonstrated the core capabilities of the network, Tournear has an ambitious schedule for building out the network, aiming for a fully operational system by 2028.
