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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

2 clusters · 10 sources · 22 days · First seen · Last updated

North American defense satellite procurement

Overview

In July 2026 the U.S. Space Development Agency awarded roughly $1.75 billion to L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space for 36 low‑Earth‑orbit missile‑warning and missile‑defense satellites. The contracts are part of the Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 program, expanding the Tracking Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and are slated for launch by the end of 2028.

A few weeks later, in August 2026, Canada’s Defence Investment Agency approved a $474 million deal with MDA Space to add 69 AURORA broadband satellites to Telesat’s Lightspeed LEO constellation, raising the fleet to 225 satellites. The expansion supports the Canadian Armed Forces’ Enhanced Satellite Communications Project‑Polar, providing reliable Arctic communications and creating thousands of jobs in Montreal.

Together, these contracts show a coordinated North American effort to broaden low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations for defense, enhancing both missile‑tracking capabilities and secure communications in critical regions.

Entities

MDA Space Ltd. · Telesat LEO ULC · Canadian Armed Forces · Department of National Defence · Mike Greenley

Timeline

  1. 19 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 10 sources
    MDA Space Wins $474 Million Deal to Boost Telesat Lightspeed Arctic Satellite Fleet

    MDA Space secured a $474 million contract to add 27 satellites to Telesat’s Lightspeed LEO constellation, expanding it to 225 satellites and enhancing Arctic military communications for Canada’s armed forces.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    US Space Development Agency contracts $1.75 B for 36 missile‑tracking satellites

    The US Space Development Agency awarded about $1.75 bn to L3Harris and Sierra Space for 36 missile‑warning and defense satellites, set for launch by 2028 to broaden its low‑Earth‑orbit Tracking Layer.

Sources

cabinradio.ca · canadiandefencereview.com · cyprusshippingnews.com · iphoneincanada.ca · kosmonautix.cz · lipu.it · spacenews.com · stocknews.com · vanguardcanada.com · viasatellite.com