The US Space Systems Command has awarded SpaceX a series of contracts to launch next-generation missile warning and tracking satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The launches will support the Space Development Agency (SDA) and the National Reconnaissance Office as they deploy space-based constellations designed to detect, track, and monitor advanced missile threats.
Valued at $739 million, the contracts fall under the Pentagon’s National Security Space Launch program, which leverages commercial launch providers to lower costs for missions with adaptable requirements.
The award covers three mission groupings.
The first package, designated SDA-2, includes two launches carrying a total of 18 Tracking Layer satellites built by L3Harris, along with a separate launch deploying eight Fire-control On-Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter (F2) space vehicles produced by Millennium Space Systems.
The F2 spacecraft are part of a demonstration program intended to enhance US missile defense capabilities against highly maneuverable threats.
The second package, SDA-3, comprises two additional launches that will place 18 Tracking Layer satellites manufactured by Lockheed Martin into orbit.
The third mission, known as NTO-5, supports a classified National Reconnaissance Office operation, with payload details remaining undisclosed.
Launches for SDA-2 are expected to begin in late 2026, followed by SDA-3 missions in mid-2027. The NRO missions are scheduled for early 2027 and mid-2028.
These contracts represent another step in Washington’s broader effort to strengthen space-based military capabilities and improve operational integration in orbit.
Recent initiatives include a $1.9-million contract awarded to Texas-based GetChkd to enhance Air Force and Space Force satellite communications security using blockchain technology, as well as preparations announced in November 2025 to deploy ground-based systems capable of jamming Chinese and Russian reconnaissance satellites.
