SMDC-ONE

SMDC-ONE [US Army]

SMDC-ONE (Space Missile Defense Command - Operational Nanosatellite Effect) is a program to develop a small experimental communications satellite constellation for the US Army.

The mission objectives are:

1. Demonstrate the ability to rapidly design and develop militarily relevant low cost spacecraft.
2. Receive packetized data from multiple Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS). Transmit that data to ground stations within the SMDC-ONE ground track.
3. Provide real time voice and text message data relay to and from field deployed tactical radio systems.
4. Demonstrate SMDC-ONE operational life time of 12 months or longer.

Eight satellites have been manufactured. One of them has been slightly modified in a joint project with ORS (Operationally Responsive Space Office). This satellite, also known as ORSES (Operationally Responsive Space Enabler Satellite), features an SMDC-ONE satellite bus with an advanced Software Defined Radio and Type-1 encryption module.