WASHINGTON — Derek Tournear, a senior Space Force procurement official, will return to his role as director of the Space Development Agency (SDA) on April 17 after a three-month administrative leave, a Department of the Air Force spokesperson confirmed Monday.
Tournear was removed from his position on January 16 during an investigation into alleged procedural irregularities involving two prototype agreements worth approximately $424 million for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Gamma variant satellites, a key component of the military’s new space architecture.
The investigation stemmed from a bid protest filed by satellite communications company Viasat, which raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the contract awards. News of Tournear’s reinstatement was first reported by the defense publication BreakingDefense.
During Tournear’s absence, Air Force procurement official William Blauser served as the SDA’s acting director. The Air Force has not disclosed specific reasons for Tournear’s reinstatement.
Congressional support
Industry sources note that Tournear has maintained strong backing on Capitol Hill, particularly from Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), who has advocated for Tournear’s return during recent congressional hearings, citing the need for innovation in satellite procurement.
“Tournear’s return comes at a critical time for the agency, which faces significant challenges in its satellite development programs,” said an industry source who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the situation.
SDA is responsible for developing and fielding the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a layered network of satellites in low Earth orbit designed to support military operations across domains. The PWSA includes a layer of missile-tracking satellites, a key piece of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome initiative to deploy a next-generation missile defense shield.
As Tournear resumes leadership, the agency faces challenges such as expected delays in satellite production due to supply chain problems, particularly with optical terminals needed for establishing laser links between orbiting satellites.
Investment analysts from Baird Defense & Government highlighted these issues in a recent research note following last week’s Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. The note indicated that optical communications terminals are struggling to transition from research to production for the low Earth orbit market, suggesting delays in the PWSA schedule are likely.
Potential strategy shift
The agency also faces potential budget pressures and a possible shift in procurement strategy. Cramer recently revealed that the Department of the Air Force is considering replacing planned military satellite purchases from multiple defense contractors with SpaceX’s Starshield satellites.
This potential realignment could impact the SDA’s Transport Layer Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 programs as the Pentagon reviews its funding plans for fiscal year 2026.
The SDA’s Transport Layer is intended to provide a resilient, low-latency military communications network, representing a significant component of the Defense Department’s efforts to maintain technological superiority in space.
