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Terran Orbital to build satellite buses for SDA Tranche 3 Tracking Layer
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Terran Orbital to build satellite buses for SDA Tranche 3 Tracking Layer

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 01, 2026
Terran Orbital has been selected by Lockheed Martin to supply satellite bus platforms for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer within the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

Under this program, Lockheed Martin will deliver 18 space vehicles that provide missile warning, tracking, and defense functions for SDA's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. Terran Orbital will supply the satellite bus platforms that form the structural and avionics backbone of these spacecraft, supporting rapid production and deployment to help SDA field global, persistent missile-tracking capability in low Earth orbit.

The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer is designed to expand SDA's capacity to detect, track, and provide fire-control-quality data on advanced missile threats, including hypersonic weapons, using a proliferated constellation in low Earth orbit. Terran Orbital's high-rate manufacturing approach and flight-proven satellite bus designs are intended to meet the accelerated production timelines required for the program.

This award extends ongoing collaboration between Terran Orbital and Lockheed Martin across multiple phases of SDA's Tracking Layer. Terran Orbital has previously supported Lockheed Martin on SDA's Tranche 0, Tranche 1, Tranche 2 Tracking, and Tranche 2 Beta programs, providing satellite buses that have supported development, production, and on-orbit performance of those 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 the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer reinforces its position as a supplier to the national security space sector and its ability to support large-scale proliferated constellations through vertically integrated manufacturing and a maturing supply chain aligned with SDA's objectives.

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