WASHINGTON — The Department of the Air Force has removed Derek Tournear from his position as director of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA), SpaceNews has learned.
A department spokesperson said Tournear was placed on administrative leave as of Jan. 16 pending the results of an investigation but did not elaborate on the circumstances and declined to provide additional details about the investigation.
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, commander of the Space Force’s Space Systems Command, will step in as acting director of the SDA while the investigation is underway.
According to unofficial sources familiar with the situation, the investigation into Tournear may be linked to complaints from contractors about SDA’s unconventional procurement methods and alleged improper sharing of proprietary information.
Tournear has led the SDA since 2019 and positioned the agency as a disruptive organization that embraced a nontraditional approach to military space acquisitions. Rather than relying on large, expensive satellites that can cost billions and take years to develop, the agency has pushed for a constellation of smaller, commercially derived spacecraft.
SDA is procuring hundreds of satellites for what is known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, an ambitious constellation designed to support military operations and missile defense.
Tournear’s approach earned him recognition and garnered strong congressional and industry support, helping SDA to secure a budget exceeding $4.2 billion.
The agency has deployed 27 satellites and aims to launch more than 160 within the next 18 months, forming the backbone of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
Sources told SpaceNews there were tensions of late between Tournear and his superior Frank Calvelli, the outgoing assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisitions.
In a recent interview with Breaking Defense in his final week in office, Calvelli expressed reservations about the pace of SDA’s satellite deployment, suggesting it may be premature without a clear operational plan. “It doesn’t matter how fast we build them if no one uses them,” Calvelli said.