The fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite in Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, California, satellite manufacturing facility before launch. Photo: Lockheed Martin

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $66 million for risk reduction activities and early design work for the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) Service Life Extension (SLE) program. Lockheed announced the contract on Feb. 2.

Lockheed Martin built and operates the SSC’s entire MUOS constellation of four active satellites and one on-orbit spare. MUOS’s satellite-based network provides the U.S. military with ultra-high frequency (UHF) voice and data communications. The SLE program plans to advance its capabilities into the 2030s by adding two more MUOS satellites to the fleet to support legacy UHF channels.

Joe Rickers, Lockheed Martin Space’s vice president for Connectivity, Transport, and Access missions said, “Lockheed Martin revolutionized military communications for mobile forces by developing MUOS, which provides simultaneous, crystal-clear voice, video, and mission data that extends connections beyond line-of-sight around the world.” 

Phase 1 of the contract is a one-year base period with a possible six-month extension. The base period includes risk reduction and early design activities. Phase 2 is a separate competition for final design, production, spacecraft testing, and delivery to the U.S. Space Force for launch by 2030.