<div id="readability-page-1">Dec 19 (Reuters) - The Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, said on Friday it has reached agreements with four defense suppliers to ‌build 72 satellites, worth about $3.5 billion collectively. The agency said ​Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and ‍Rocket Lab USA have signed ⁠fixed-priced contracts ⁠for 18 space vehicles each. The infrared satellites, which will ‌be used for missile ​warning, tracking and defense systems, are expected to be launched into low-earth ⁠orbit in 2029. &#34;The ‍addition of ​these satellites will achieve near-continuous global coverage for missile warning and tracking, along ‍with payloads capable of generating fire control quality tracks for missile defense,&#34; said the agency's Acting Director Gurpartap Sandhoo. These satellites belong to Tranche-3 and support the space ​agency's ‍objective of launching a new tranche every two years to refresh its satellite ​architecture with updated technology. In September, the first Tranche-1 space vehicle, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The agency plans to include a total of 154 ​operational space vehicles in Tranche-1, which will be ready for initial warfighting capability in 2027. (Reporting by Aishwarya ‍Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)</div>

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The US Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, has placed a $3.5 billion order for 72 satellites from Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and Rocket Lab USA. These satellites, part of Tranche-3, will be used for missile warning, tracking, and defense systems, and are expected to be launched into low-earth orbit in 2029.

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US Space Development Agency places $3.5 billion order for 72 satellites