SATCOM for U.S. troops worldwide gets $37.5 million Space Force contract
NewsJuly 30, 2025
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. The United States Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) announced it awarded a Protected Tactical Satellite Communications (SATCOM) – Global (PTS-G) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract and firm-fixed-price orders totaling $37.5 million to five companies.
The SSC news release said that the five companies -- Viasat, Northrop Grumman, Astranis Space Technologies, Intelsat General Communications, and Boeing -- are initially tasked with finalizing a design and providing demonstrations based upon their established commercial product lines to meet PTS-G requirements. The results of this initial order will inform subsequent competition for follow-on production orders.
PTS-G enables military users worldwide to have reliable and resilient connectivity by using proliferated small satellites providing antijam capability in geosynchronous orbit. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) requires that its tactical troops have wideband global assured access, ensuring that they can connect any time, anywhere.
SSC calls PTS-G "the cost-effective component of Space Force architecture that takes advantage of the advanced PTW waveform while maximizing use of existing user and gateway terminals."
This initial award phase is expected to be followed by an award in 2026 for the production of PTS-G space vehicles to meet initial operational capability, with a projected launch in 2028 that places the first PTS-G satellite in orbit. A second set of production awards for additional PTS-G satellite capability is planned for 2028, with launch planned for 2031.
