SDA awards L3Harris and Northrop Grumman about $1.3B for 28 Tranche 1 missile-tracking satellites

Space Development Agency/Tracking Layer

The Space Development Agency awarded Tranche 1 Tracking Layer contracts: 14 low-orbit infrared satellites each from L3Harris ($700M) and Northrop Grumman. The satellites are meant to detect and follow missiles, including maneuvering hypersonic gliders. With four launches and ground systems, the tranche was put at about $2.5 billion, with launches to start in April 2025.

• Four orbital planes of seven satellites each.
• About $50M per satellite for L3Harris and $44M for Northrop.
• Contracts were signed about 120 days after Congress added the money.
• New tranches every two years; satellites last about five years.