Lockheed Selects Terran Orbital to Supply Satellite Buses for T2TL Beta Constellation

Terran Orbital said it will deliver 36 additional satellite buses to Lockheed Martin, which the Space Development Agency selected to build satellites for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer Beta constellation. 

The SDA recently awarded Lockheed an $816 million contract to develop the satellites for the T2TL segment of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture the SDA is building for military communications and missile tracking and detection. 

The Beta constellation will provide targeted technology enhancements, mission-focused payload configurations and increased integration, advancing the PWSA’s initial warfighting capability, Terran Orbital said.

According to the SDA, the Beta satellites will be deployed in low-Earth orbit beginning September 2026. 

The latest partnership between Terran Orbital and Lockheed builds on a previous agreement through which Terran will deliver 42 satellite buses to Lockheed for the PWSA Tranche 1 Transport Layer. Lockheed was awarded a $700 million contract to supply 42 T1TL satellites for launch in late 2024. The T1TL satellite buses cleared a critical design review and a manufacturing readiness review last spring.

Lockheed also selected Terran to provide satellite buses for the PWSA Tranche 0 Transport Layer. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 10 T0TL satellites from Lockheed on Sept. 2 from Vandenberg Space Force Base.