Airbus to supply 42 satellites for U.S. military connectivity
NewsJuly 06, 2022
REDONDO BEACH, California. Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced that Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc. will be the commercial provider of 42 satellite platforms for its proliferated-LEO (low earth orbit) constellation, Northrop announced in a statement.
In February, the Space Development Agency (SDA) chose Northrop to develop and field a portion of its Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL), which is aimed at providing "persistent, secure connectivity for the U.S. military and serve as a critical element for Joint All-Domain Command and Control," according to the statement.
To deliver that capability, Northrop decided to choose Airbus as one of the key commercial suppliers of satellites, which includes vehicle assembly, integration, and testing. In May, Northrop chose Mynaric and Innoflight as its suppliers for laser communications and encryption/decryption capabilities as part of the program.
