LEAPing Ahead – The Space Development Agency's Method for Planning for the Future

Abstract

AbstractThe Space Development Agency (SDA) is a constructive disruptor within the Department of Defense, tasked with rapidly acquiring and delivering space‐based capabilities. SDA delivers dozens of satellites on two‐year cycles and this pace requires defined processes to ensure that the technology exists to support the required capabilities. SDA has developed a process called List, Evaluate, Achieve, Procure (LEAP) which is used to identify technologies that require additional development resources to meet both current Warfighter needs and those that will occur in the future. This paper provides an illustrative example of SDA applying the LEAP process to the development of SDA's optical communications terminals, demonstrating how it is used to identify critical technologies to be supported through investment opportunities that augment the system acquisitions.