RESTON, Va. - Leidos will provide infrared sensing payloads and onboard signal-processing capabilities for 18 missile warning and missile tracking satellites Sierra Space is developing under the Space Development Agency's (SDA) Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) Tracking Layer program.
Sierra Space in Louisville, Colo., announced in July that it received a firm-fixed-price Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype agreement with a total potential value of $798 million to design, manufacture, and deliver 18 missile warning and missile tracking variant spacecraft for the AMDT3 Tracking Layer. Sierra Space will serve as prime contractor and mission integrator for the spacecraft, which will be based on the company's Horizon satellite platform.
The AMDT3 award is one of two contracts issued by SDA to expand the agency's Tracking Layer. Together, the awards will provide 36 satellites across four orbital planes, with L3Harris selected to build the remaining 18 missile-defense-variant spacecraft.
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PWSA background
The Tracking Layer is part of SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a distributed low-Earth-orbit satellite network designed to provide persistent missile warning, detection, and tracking capabilities. SDA said the AMDT3 spacecraft will support Golden Dome for America's space-based capabilities while remaining interoperable with earlier Tracking Layer tranches through a common ground system.
Leidos in Reston, Va., said its infrared payloads incorporate onboard digital signal processing that enables mission-relevant tracking data to be generated aboard the spacecraft. By processing sensor data in orbit, the technology is intended to reduce latency and deliver actionable tracking information more quickly to missile defense users.
In addition to the sensing payloads and onboard processing capabilities, Leidos will provide ground support equipment, mission expertise, operations support, and sustainment activities for the program.
AMDT3 spacecraft
The AMDT3 spacecraft will build on Sierra Space's Horizon satellite platform, which the company is also using for its SDA Tracking Layer Tranche 2 program. Sierra Space said it has completed all 18 space vehicle structures for the Tranche 2 program and is preparing for qualification testing and system verification activities.
Leidos said the AMDT3 award extends its participation across multiple SDA Tracking Layer efforts. The company said four Tranche 0 infrared payloads have operated on orbit since 2023, while it is also delivering missile warning and tracking sensors for Tranches 1 and 2.
SDA expects AMDT3 spacecraft to be ready for launch by the end of 2028. The program will continue the agency's effort to develop a proliferated sensing architecture capable of providing missile tracking data directly to operational users through tactical data links.
