Boeing subsidiary Millennium Space Systems has received a potential $386 million other transaction agreement from Space Systems Command to deliver a second plane of six Epoch 1 satellites for medium Earth orbit.
“Once on orbit, Epoch 1 satellites will play a vital role in delivering advanced missile warning and tracking capabilities,” Lt. Col. Nathan Terrazone, materiel leader for the Epoch 1 space branch, said in a statement published Wednesday.
With the latest award, Millennium Space said it is now on contract to provide two planes of Missile Track Custody satellites, or a total of 12 MTC space vehicles, along with related ground system and mission operations support.
“MTC is critical to our nation’s resilient missile warning, tracking and defense architecture, and a second plane gets us that much closer to global coverage,” said Michelle Parker, vice president for Boeing Space Mission Systems.
Early this year, Millennium Space Systems concluded a critical design review of MTC’s ground system, which will be integrated with the existing infrastructure.
Epoch 1
The Epoch 1 program will deploy 12 satellites in MEO to provide missile warning and tracking capabilities. The first plane is expected to be delivered by the end of fiscal year 2026, followed by the second plane in early FY 2028.
According to SSC, the two planes under contract position the U.S. Space Force to deliver initial warfighting capability through the Epoch 2 program by early FY 2029. The service will field future Epochs in two- to three-year increments and boost the sensor network’s capability with each delivery.
Epoch 2
In August, a request for prototype proposals was issued to facilitate the delivery of the next increment of Epoch satellites.
SSC said the Epoch 2 satellites will provide the country with expanded tracking capabilities to combat hypersonic and other advanced missile threats. The satellites are expected to lift off in the next several years.
The command works with the Space Development Agency and Missile Defense Agency on the Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking MEO Epoch program.
