The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded a pair of Golden Dome contracts to L3Harris and Sierra Space.
L3Harris will produce 18 Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) satellites to support America’s space-based capabilities by detecting and tracking advanced missile threats. The satellites are equipped with medium-field-of-view payloads designed to provide fire control quality data for missile defense.
L3Harris' recently completed $125 million expansion at its space manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne will support the Department of Defense’s need for on-orbit technology. The company said it will immediately begin manufacturing for delivery and launch of these tactical payloads.
Sierra Space, a defense-tech space company, was awarded $798 million to also design, manufacture and deliver 18 missile warning/missile tracking/missile defense satellites for the AMDT3 tracking layer.
"This contract demonstrates Sierra Space's capabilities as a formidable player in American national security," said Sierra Space CEO Dan Jablonsky in a statement. "We're honored to partner with SDA as a prime contractor to deliver on the nation's space-based missions. By combining cutting-edge design and manufacturing systems with industrial depth and systems integration expertise, we're able to move faster, manage risk better and deliver more cost-effective solutions. AMDT3 is proof that our approach is working, and we're just getting started."
Sierra Space
