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

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/stories/sda-awards-3-5b-for-72-tranche-3-tracking-satellites-to-lockheed-rocket-19531960
Date: 19 Dec 2025
About: [Space Development Agency](https://technooptimist.io/companies/space-development-agency.md) · [Tracking Layer](https://technooptimist.io/spaceflight/tracking-layer.md)
Original source: https://breakingdefense.com/2025/12/space-development-agency-awards-four-contracts-worth-3-5b-for-next-gen-missile-tracking-satellites/

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.

## Key facts

- 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.

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