WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Armed Services Committee published the chairman’s mark of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on Tuesday that includes language to eliminate the Space Development Agency and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. If enacted, the legislation would transfer their authorities to the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executives.
Congress created the Space Rapid Capabilities Office in 2018 and the Space Development Agency in 2019 as independent units to develop and field new space capabilities more quickly than traditional defense acquisition processes. The Space Development Agency leads development of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a low-Earth orbit mega-constellation of data transport and missile warning satellites deployed in sequential tranches. The agency is currently launching its first operational batch of satellites while developing subsequent tranches.
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office, which is smaller than the Space Development Agency, focuses on rapidly delivering space systems to address urgent military needs. It has worked directly with combatant commands to identify requirements and develop solutions, though most of its programs remain classified. One publicly known effort is the Rapid Resilient Command and Control program, which modernizes ground stations using cloud technology.
The Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture has been central to the Space Force’s strategy of shifting from a few high-cost satellites to hundreds of lower-cost, resilient spacecraft. The program has faced delays due to supply chain constraints, technological validation challenges, and leadership controversies. The Space Force intends to transition from the PWSA’s tranche-based model to a broader framework called the Space Data Network. Existing PWSA satellites will integrate with future Space Data Network capabilities.
Under the committee’s draft legislation, the director of the Space Development Agency would assume responsibility for the Space Force’s missile warning and tracking programs. On May 19, the agency announced Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo would serve concurrently as SDA director and the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking. The Space Force has established several portfolio acquisition executives and is organizing which programs—including those from the SDA and Space Rapid Capabilities Office—will be assigned to them, according to acting space acquisition executive Thomas Ainsworth. “They have the same authorities. If you move between one PAE and another, you’re not sitting there having to figure out a whole new process. Everyone’s working off of the same process in the same rulebook,” Ainsworth said.
The House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to debate the draft legislation on June 4. The proposal must still pass both the House and Senate before it can become law.