# North American defense satellite procurement

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/north-american-defense-satellite-procurement
> Updated: 2026-08-04T07:17:38.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

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.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-04: 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.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mda-space-wins-474-million-deal-to-boost-telesat-lightspeed-arctic-satellite-fleet

### 2026-07-13: 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.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-space-development-agency-contracts-175-b-for-36-missiletracking-satellites

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Cite as: North American defense satellite procurement. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/north-american-defense-satellite-procurement