Jane Edwards
Maxar Technologies is scheduled to hand over to L3Harris Technologies the first of 16 satellite buses meant for a Space Development Agency constellation in low-Earth orbit in early 2024, SpaceNews reported Monday.
L3Harris selected the Westminster, Colorado-based space technology company to provide the Maxar 300 satellite bus for SDA’s Tracking Layer.
In July 2022, SDA awarded L3Harris a potential $700 million contract to build satellites for the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer, which will help detect, identify and track hypersonic weapons and other advanced missile threats. These satellites are expected to launch in mid-2025.
Dan Jablonsky, president and CEO of Maxar and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, said the company is trying to capture a market opportunity that SDA’s proposed LEO constellations offer.
“It’s a growing market opportunity for us,” Jablonsky told the publication. “Budgets for defense applications are going up around the world. And they’re particularly going up for robust space capabilities.”
Maxar is also offering the LEO bus platform to other defense companies that are competing for satellite contracts with SDA.
“We’re a commercial company, and we’re very happy to work with the primes,” Jablonsky said.
