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The Space Development Agency announced contracts worth $1.75 billion to build 36 satellites in support of the Pentagon\u2019s Golden Dome missile defense shield. <\/p>\n
The satellites will be part of Tranche 3 of SDA\u2019s missile defense, warning, and tracking layer, a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. L3Harris and Sierra Space both received contracts to build 18 satellites each and deliver them in time for a potential launch in late 2028. \t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cWith these awards, SDA is accelerating the deployment of the Tracking Layer to provide the homeland,
our deployed forces, and allies with global, persistent indications, detection, identification warning,
tracking, and defense against advanced and evolving missile threats,\u201d SDA Director GP Sandhoo, who is also the Space Force\u2019s Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking, said in a July 13 statement. <\/p>\n
The Space Force awarded initial contracts for Tranche 3<\/a> last December to Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris for a total of 72 satellites. This additional batch of 32\u2014which SDA calls Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3, or AMDT3\u2014brings the total tranche to 104 spacecraft.<\/p>\n SDA said in its statement that L3Harris\u2019 satellite design will be based off the Hypersonic Ballistic Tracking and Space Sensor<\/a>. L3Harris and Northrop Grumman each built one HBTSS prototype for the Missile Defense Agency, both of which launched as part of the first batch of SDA missile defense satellites. <\/p>\n \u201cThe new contract builds on the successful on-orbit demonstration of an L3Harris Hypersonic and Ballistic
Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) satellite and infrared sensor payload the company developed for the
Missile Defense Agency,\u201d L3Harris CEO Chris Kubasik said in a statement, adding that the company has more than 70 missile tracking and defense satellites on order.<\/p>\n