US Space Development Agency places $3.5 billion order for 72 satellites

Dec 19 (Reuters) - The Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, said on Friday it has reached agreements with four defense suppliers to build 72 satellites, worth about $3.5 billion collectively.

The agency said Lockheed Martin LMT.N, L3Harris Technologies LHX.N, Northrop Grumman NOC.N, and Rocket Lab USA RKLB.O have signed fixed-priced contracts for 18 space vehicles each.

The infrared satellites, which will be used for missile warning, tracking and defense systems, are expected to be launched into low-earth orbit in 2029.

"The addition of these satellites will achieve near-continuous global coverage for missile warning and tracking, along with payloads capable of generating fire control quality tracks for missile defense," said the agency's Acting Director Gurpartap Sandhoo.

These satellites belong to Tranche-3 and support the space agency's objective of launching a new tranche every two years to refresh its satellite architecture with updated technology.

In September, the first Tranche-1 space vehicle, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

The agency plans to include a total of 154 operational space vehicles in Tranche-1, which will be ready for initial warfighting capability in 2027.