The U.S. Space Force has awarded BAE Systems a $1.2 billion contract to build 10 satellites for the second phase of its Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Missile Warning and Tracking program.
This contract marks the first award for the program’s second installment – known as Epoch 2 – and represents a key step in the Space Force’s broader effort to overhaul its missile warning and tracking capabilities amid evolving threats from nations like China and Russia.
The MEO satellites are part of the Space Force’s Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking initiative that is designed to replace the aging missile defense architecture built around a small number of large satellites – few in number, vulnerable to attack, and less effective at detecting advanced threats like hypersonic weapons due to their distance from the planet.
In response, the Space Force is shifting toward smaller, less expensive satellites in lower orbits, such as MEO, which offer broader coverage and greater adaptability to evolving threats.
“This effort builds on our capabilities to facilitate low cost, integrated satellite defense programs that bring together payload and bus builds, while managing ground support, operations and sustainment,” Thai Sheridan, vice president and general manager of Military Space for BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems, said in a statement. “Our system enables close coordination through a ‘one-team’ approach across capabilities that are critical for missile warning and tracking success.”
The Space Force plans to deploy new “epochs” every three years. Epoch 1 is already underway, with Millennium Space Systems on contract to build 12 satellites for delivery by 2026. Under the Epoch 2 contract, BAE Systems is slated to deliver its first satellite by 2029.
The MEO constellations are expected to play a central role in the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative.
Golden Dome, launched by executive order under President Trump on January 27, mandates the development of a “next-generation missile defense shield” to defend against hypersonic and other advanced weapons. The initiative is projected to cost $175 billion and, according to the president, will be “up and running” by 2028.
While specifics on the Golden Dome architecture remain limited, defense officials have said it will integrate with existing missile warning systems and be fully operational before the end of Trump’s current term.