Northrop Grumman is developing a geostationary communications satellite in a bid for a military contract worth US$2.4 billion. The aerospace and defence giant will have to compete with Boeing to develop Protected Tactical Satcom (PTS) prototype satellites. Both companies were selected by the US Space Force in 2020 and their respective payloads successfully navigated government reviews to get clearance for in-orbit demonstrations planned for 2025. The winner(s) of the competition will see their PTS used as the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) next-generation secure communications satellites. Either one, or even both, of the companies could be chosen for the DoD’s PTS programme and given orders for the development of more payloads. It is likely to be a lucrative contract, with the DoD expecting to spend US$2.4 billion by 2028 on the programme.
Corporate logo of Northrop Grumman, Courtesy of Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman’s PTS satellite is set to fly aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket in 2025 while Boeing’s one will get taken into space as a hosted payload on the Wideband Global Satcom WGS-11, also being developed by Boeing. WGS-11 will be delivered in 2024, according to an announcement by the company earlier this year.
