SDA awards $3.5B for 72 Tranche 3 tracking satellites to Lockheed, Rocket Lab, L3Harris and Northrop

Space Development Agency/Tracking Layer

SDA awarded four agreements for 18 satellites each: Lockheed Martin ($1.1B), Rocket Lab (up to $805M), L3Harris (up to $843M) and Northrop Grumman (about $764M). Lockheed and Rocket Lab build missile-defense satellites with medium-field cameras for fire-control quality tracks; L3Harris and Northrop build warning and tracking satellites. Launches are planned for fiscal 2029.

• The April 2025 solicitation had planned three awards for 54 satellites.
• Half the payloads support missile defense.
• Awards were slightly delayed by the government shutdown.