Vandenberg, California – On September 10, 2025, SpaceX launched 21 satellites into low Earth orbit, marking the beginning of a U.S. military initiative to build a new secure satellite communications network.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10:12 a.m. EDT (7:12 a.m. local time), carrying the first tranche of the “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” (T1TL). These satellites are part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a future constellation designed to enhance global military communications.

The transport layer will provide persistent, encrypted connectivity to support warfighter missions worldwide. Eventually, the T1TL network will include 126 satellites in low Earth orbit.

The 21 satellites launched today were built by York Space Systems. Additional satellites for this layer are being produced by Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, with the SDA planning to refresh and expand the constellation every two years.

The Falcon 9’s first stage successfully returned to the SpaceX drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”, marking the sixth launch and landing for booster B1093. The rocket’s upper stage continued carrying the satellites to orbit, though deployment details remain undisclosed.

The Space Development Agency (SDA), established in March 2019, is tasked with rapidly delivering space-based capabilities to support U.S. military operations and enhance battlefield communications.

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