Terran Orbital Selected by Lockheed Martin to Provide Satellite Buses for SDA’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer

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Terran Orbital, a leading manufacturer of small satellites primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, announced that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide satellite buses for the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer (T3TRK) under the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

Under the program, Lockheed Martin will deliver 18 missile-warning, tracking, and defense space vehicles for SDA’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. Terran Orbital will supply the satellite bus platforms that form the structural and avionics backbone of the space vehicles, enabling rapid production and deployment to support SDA’s mission of delivering global, persistent missile-tracking capabilities.

The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer expands SDA’s ability to detect, track, and provide fire-control-quality data on advanced missile threats, including hypersonic weapons, through a proliferated constellation in low Earth orbit. Terran Orbital’s high-rate manufacturing approach and flight-proven satellite bus designs will support the accelerated production timelines required for the program.

This selection continues collaboration between Terran Orbital and Lockheed Martin across multiple phases of the SDA Tracking Layer. Terran Orbital has previously supported Lockheed Martin on SDA’s Tranche 0, Tranche 1, Tranche 2 Tracking, and Tranche 2 Beta, providing satellite buses that have contributed to the successful development, production, and on-orbit performance of these constellations.

“Being selected by Lockheed Martin for the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer is a testament to the performance, scalability, and reliability of our satellite bus platforms,” said Peter Krauss, President and CEO of Terran Orbital. “Our continued collaboration across Tranche 0 through Tranche 3 reflects a shared commitment to rapid delivery, mission assurance, and providing the warfighter with resilient, next-generation space capabilities.”

Terran Orbital’s role on T3 Tracking Layer further reinforces its position as a supplier to the national security space community and its ability to support large-scale, proliferated constellations through vertically integrated manufacturing and a maturing supply chain aligned with SDA’s objectives.