Naomi Cooper
Small satellite builder Terran Orbital has secured a contract from Lockheed Martin to manufacture 36 Beta satellite buses for the second tranche of the Space Development Agency’s data communications transport layer.
Terran Orbital said Tuesday it will deliver the satellite buses to Lockheed for payload integration with the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s Tranche 2 Transport Layer Beta variant prototype constellation, which will form the foundation of the T2TL.
The T1TL Beta constellation will consist of 72 satellites that will provide global communications and connectivity to warfighters and help track advanced missile threats.
Lockheed and Northrop Grumman will each build and operate a prototype constellation of 36 T1TL Beta satellites under $1.5 billion prototype agreements awarded in August.
The satellites will be divided into three orbital planes, with the first plane set to launch to low Earth orbit in September 2026.
Terran Orbital is also producing 42 buses for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer scheduled for launch in late 2024. The company has completed the critical design review and manufacturing readiness review phase for the T1TL satellite buses ahead of delivery to Lockheed for payload integration and testing.
