SWORDS

Soldier-Warfighter Operationally Responsive Deployer for Space

Mission Profile

SWORDS (Soldier-Warfighter Operationally Responsive Deployer for Space) is a US Army concept for a road-mobile small orbital launch vehicle designed for rapid satellite replenishment supporting ground combat operations. Studied around 2000, the two-stage solid-propellant vehicle was intended to give military commanders the ability to deploy replacement surveillance or communications satellites within hours of losing on-orbit assets. SWORDS remained a conceptual study, with the operational challenges of mobile orbital launch proving prohibitive at the time.