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The Space Development Agency (SDA) has announced that Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin have been awarded a total of .5 billion to build and operate a constellation of 72 satellites. The satellites, scheduled to be launched starting in September 2026, will form part of the SDA’s Transport Layer, a mesh network of up to 300 interconnected satellites designed for high-speed, low-latency data transmission and communications.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems has been awarded a contract valued at approximately 3 million, while Lockheed Martin’s contract is valued at approximately 6 million. Each company will be responsible for building and operating 36 satellites as part of the “Beta variant” of the Transport Layer’s Tranche 2. These satellites will feature optical intersatellite links for cross-satellite communications and a UHF Tactical Satellite Communications (TacSATCOM) downlink for tactical users.

The Transport Layer satellites are a crucial component of the Pentagon’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) plan, which aims to seamlessly connect military sensors to ground, sea, air, cyberspace, and eventually space-based assets. They are also part of the larger Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a roadmap that leverages low Earth orbit for various on-orbit missions to enhance targeting capabilities and deter enemy attacks.

It is worth mentioning that Northrop Grumman already had experience with the Transport Layer satellites, having used similar designs for their 42 Tranche 1 satellites. They have stated that the Tranche 2 Beta satellites will incorporate new broadcast and tactical waveforms to enhance the overall capabilities of the PWSA.

Lockheed Martin, on the other hand, has been awarded contracts for a total of 88 Transport Layer satellites. They have recently established a processing center to support the assembly, integration, and testing of small satellites, including those for the Transport Layer.

This latest contract further raises the total value of SDA contracts for the Transport Layer to nearly .5 billion, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to developing a robust and resilient satellite constellation in low Earth orbit for enhanced military communications and data transmission.

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