NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Space Development Agency (SDA) is gearing up for its second launch of satellites for the Transport Layer Tranche 1 program. SDA is building out a low Earth orbit (LEO) mesh network for global military communications and missile defense.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...