Lockheed Martin secures $890M SDA contract for advanced missile tracking satellites

Written by Copernical Team Thursday, 18 January 2024 20:56

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2024

The Space Development Agency (SDA) has taken a significant step in enhancing national defense capabilities by awarding Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), a renowned leader in aerospace and defense technology, a substantial contract valued at $890 million. This agreement marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of the Tranche 2 (T2) Tracking Layer satellite constellation, designed to bolster missile t

Lockheed Martin secures $890M SDA contract for advanced missile tracking satellites
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2024

The Space Development Agency (SDA) has taken a significant step in enhancing national defense capabilities by awarding Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), a renowned leader in aerospace and defense technology, a substantial contract valued at $890 million. This agreement marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of the Tranche 2 (T2) Tracking Layer satellite constellation, designed to bolster missile threat detection and defense.

Under this contract, Lockheed Martin is tasked with developing 18 space vehicles, including 16 wide field of view missile warning and tracking space vehicles equipped with infrared sensors, as well as two additional space vehicles outfitted with missile defense infrared sensors. These specialized sensors are poised to generate fire control-quality tracks, a critical component in preliminary missile defense mission capabilities.

The T2 Tracking Layer represents a leap forward in the domain of space-based defense systems. Its primary mission is to provide global, persistent indications, detection, warning, tracking, and identification of both conventional and advanced missile threats, including the increasingly prevalent hypersonic missile systems. Moreover, the constellation aims to deliver preliminary missile defense capability by integrating fire control quality sensors.

Michael Corriea, Vice President of Warning Programs at Lockheed Martin Space, emphasized the importance of this project in light of escalating missile threats globally. "As missile threats increase from around the world, we fully support the proliferated space architecture the SDA is building to protect for our nation and allies," he stated. Corriea also highlighted Lockheed Martin's substantial investment in digital and production technologies, along with their existing experience in supporting SDA spacecraft, as key factors in their readiness to deliver this next level of defense capability.

Each satellite in the T2 Tracking Layer will incorporate a Terran Orbital bus and an infrared missile tracking payload provided by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems - Optical Sensor Systems. Additionally, these satellites will be equipped with Lockheed Martin's SmartSat software platform, which enables dynamic mission adaptability in orbit through simple application uploads.

Lockheed Martin plans to assemble, integrate, and test the 18 T2 spacecraft in their new small satellite Colorado-based processing facility, a testament to their commitment to high-volume, efficient satellite delivery.

In a move to streamline satellite operations, Lockheed Martin is also leveraging its Horizon Command and Control and Compass Mission Planning software in the SDA's missions. These software systems are critical for enabling mission-critical capabilities such as orbit management, autonomous operations, and formation flying, which are essential for managing small, medium, or large constellations.