Space Development Agency awards roughly $3.5 billion to 4 companies for 72 missile tracking and warning satellites

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded roughly $3.5 billion to four companies—Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and Rocket Lab—to build 72 missile warning and tracking satellites for Tracking Layer Tranche 3 (TRKT3) of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) in low Earth orbit. Each company will produce 18 satellites, with launches scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2029. The Tracking Layer Tranche 3 constellation is designed to significantly improve global missile warning, tracking, and defense capabilities. When integrated with the PWSA Transport Layer, the satellites will provide near-continuous global coverage and more accurate tracking data, including fire-control-quality tracks needed to counter advanced and hypersonic missile threats. Half of the satellites will support enhanced missile defense missions, reflecting the SDA’s spiral development approach to rapidly field new technologies. Under the contracts, Lockheed Martin received $1.1 billion to build 18 missile warning, tracking, and defense satellites, L3Harris received $843 million for 18 missile warning and missile tracking satellites, Rocket Lab received $805 million for 18 missile warning, tracking, and defense satellites, and Northrop Grumman received $764 million for 18 missile warning and missile tracking satellites. Rocket Lab stated it will use its Lightning satellite bus, Phoenix infrared sensor payloads, and StarLite space protection sensors, some of which will also be incorporated by other contractors. The award adds to Rocket Lab’s earlier $515 million SDA contract and expands L3Harris’ ongoing role in earlier tranches of the constellation. Overall, the program strengthens the Space Force’s space-based missile defense architecture and enhances U.S. national security against evolving global threats.