About HPA

The Hosted Payload Alliance

About

Established in 2011, The Hosted Payload Alliance (HPA) is a satellite industry alliance whose purpose is to increase awareness of the benefits of hosted government payloads on commercial satellites. The HPA seeks to bring together government and industry in an open dialogue to identify and promote the benefits of hosted payloads. The HPA:

  • Serves as a bridge between government and private industry to foster open communication between potential users and providers of hosted payload capabilities
  • Builds awareness of the benefits to be realized from hosted payloads on commercial satellites
  • Provides a forum for discussions, ranging from policy to specific missions, related to acquisition and operation of hosted payloads
  • Acts as a source of subject-matter expertise to educate stakeholders in industry and government.



    • Leadership

    Al Tadros, HPA Chair
    Vice President of Space Infrastructure and Civil Space SSL

    Bryan Benedict, HPA Vice Chair
    Senior Director of Innovation & Spacecraft Programs SES Government Solutions
    Hayley McGuire, HPA Board Member
    Deputy Director for Advanced Government Space Systems Boeing
    Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch, HPA Board Member
    Senior Vice President, Government Strategy & Policy Inmarsat
    Dave Anhalt, HPA Board Member
    Iridium
    Chris Crawford, HPA Board Member
    Director, Surveillance Systems and Advanced Programs Washington Operations, Space & Missile Defense Programs Lockheed Martin
    JR Jordan, HPA Board Member
    Raytheon

    HPA Associate Members

    Airbus Group
    Arianespace
    COM DEV
    Eutelsat America Corp.
    Harris Corporation
    Intelsat General Corporation
    L-3 Cincinnati Electronics



    Charter

    Justification
    The Hosted Payload Alliance (HPA) is a satellite industry alliance formed to increase awareness of the benefits of hosted government payloads on commercial satellites. The U.S. National Space Policy published in 2010 calls for an increasing role for commercial space to meet government requirements. It also explicitly directs the use of non-traditional options for the acquisition of space goods and services, and cites hosted payloads as one of these non-traditional options. The policy notes that public-private partnerships with the commercial space industry can offer timely, cost-effective options to fill government requirements.

    Goals
    1. Serve as a bridge between government and private industry to foster open communication between potential users and providers of hosted payload capabilities.

    2. Build awareness of the benefits to be realized from hosted payloads on commercial satellites.

    3. Provide a forum for discussions, ranging from policy to specific missions, related to acquisition and operation of hosted payloads.

    4. Act as a source of subject-matter expertise to educate stakeholders in industry and government.



    Why Hosted Payloads

    Published in 2010, the U.S. National Space Policy called for an increasing role for commercial space to meet government requirements. The Hosted Payload Alliance (HPA) was established in 2011 to increase awareness of the benefits of hosted government payloads on commercial satellites.

    The National Space Policy explicitly directs the use of non-traditional options for the acquisition of space goods and services, and cites hosted payloads as one of these non-traditional options. The policy notes that public-private partnerships with the commercial space industry can offer timely, cost-effective options to fill government requirements.

    The HPA seeks to bring together government and industry in an open dialogue to identify and promote the benefits of hosted payloads. Read about the benefits of hosted payloads and learn more from case studies.



    Benefits of Hosted Payloads

    What is a Hosted Payload?


    A hosted payload is a portion of a satellite, such as a sensor, instrument or a set of communications transponders that are owned by an organization or agency other than the primary satellite operator. The hosted portion of the satellite operates independently of the main spacecraft, but shares the satellite’s power supply, transponders, and in some cases, ground systems. The concept of a hosted payload was developed in order to enable government organizations to make use of commercial satellite platforms in order to save costs and create a more distributed architecture for space assets. 
     

    Benefits to the Payload Owner


    Choosing to piggyback a hosted payload on a commercial satellite has many benefits:
     

    • Shorter time to space. Because the development of an entire satellite system is not required, a hosted payload on a commercial satellite can reach space in a fraction of the time that it would take to develop a free flyer program. Roughly 20 commercial satellites are launched to GEO orbit each year and each one presents an opportunity to add on additional capability.
    • Lower cost. Placing a hosted payload on a commercial satellite costs a fraction of the amount of building, launching and operating an entire satellite. Cost reductions can result from shared integration, launch and operations with the host satellite.
    • A more resilient architecture. Hosted payloads enable a more resilient space architecture by distributing assets over multiple platforms and locations. Rather than creating a single platform with multiple capabilities that could be a target for adversaries, spreading capabilities over multiple locations has the potential to contribute to a more resilient space architecture. 
    • Increased access to space. Roughly 20 commercial launches each year provides multiple opportunities for access to multiple orbit locations during the year.
    • Operational options. Hosted payloads have multiple options to use existing satellite operations facilities with shared command and control of the hosted payload through the host satellite, or a completely dedicated and separate system operated by the hosted payload owner.

    Benefits to the Host


    Hosting a government payload also benefits the satellite owner/operator:
     

    • Savings. Cost sharing on bus support and launch reduces lifecycle costs.
    • Expanded capability. Supporting additional missions on a single platform creates the opportunity to “upsize” for additional capacity at lower per transponder cost.
    • Open new revenue streams. By demonstrating hosted payloads as a proven concept on your spacecraft, it could attract new users who would not typically do business with your organization.
    • Take full advantage of the HoPS contract vehicle. Prove that hosted payloads are a viable concept and potentially persuade other users to switch from free-flyer missions to hosted payload programs increasing future opportunities for additional savings
    • Technology advancement. Testing innovative technologies via a hosted payload onboard your satellite could have profound implications for future spacecraft design. Your future mission could benefit.
    • Public-private partnerships. Build a strong relationship with the U.S. Government by participating in hosted payload programs.



    HPA Pocket Guide

    "Hosted Payloads: What, Why and How" is a quick reference to help decide if hosted payloads are right for your project. Learn about:

  • what are hosted payloads and how they are beneficial
  • what missions are suitable for hosted payloads, including real-life examples
  • what to consider when planning a hosted payload



    • Case Studies

    Click on a title below to learn more about that individual hosted payload – highlights, lessons learned and more. To see an overview of government hosted payloads on commercial satellites dating from the 1970's to today, click here. (PDF)

    - CHIRP
    - X-Band Military Payload
    - Australian Defence Forces UHF Payload
    - IRIS
    - GCCS WAAS Hosted Payload
    - Global Aircraft Surveillance Payload