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Terran Orbital Wins AFRL Contract to Supply Satellite Platforms

Terran Orbital
Terran Orbital’s Ambassador Spacecraft Platform. Credit: Terran Orbital

Ibadan, 6 March 2024. – Terran Orbital Corporation has announced winning a $15.2 million contract to supply Ambassador Class satellite platforms complete with solar arrays and support equipment to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The contract, managed through Axient Corporation, will consequently integrate payloads onto these ESPA-Grande size space vehicle platforms to support specific United States Space Force missions. Delivery will also tentatively happen in the 4th quarter of 2024.

“These platforms are based on Terran Orbital’s commercial off-the-shelf Ambassador platform, similar to those provided for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites that Lockheed Martin is delivering,” said Marc Bell, Terran Orbital’s Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer. “Demonstrating Terran Orbital’s commitment to Responsive Space, these space vehicles will deliver off Terran Orbital’s production line in less than twelve months,” Bell added.

In a recent presentation at the SpacePower Conference, Terran Orbital emphasized its commitment to providing Responsive Space capabilities for the National Security Space sector. Specifically, by Q4 2024, Terran Orbital aims to be able to deliver a range of standard satellite platforms within just 30 days and complete satellite systems with integrated payloads within 60 days utilizing robotic assembly, a modular architecture, comprehensive vertical integration, and a deep commitment to quality for missions ranging from LEO to Cislunar.

The satellite manufacturer recently announced that the 12U nanosatellite it built for Advanced Space’s CAPSTONE™ (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission has surpassed 450 days in orbit around the moon. Launched on June 28, 2022, the space vehicle based on Terran Orbital’s Voyager platform continues to demonstrate exceptional stability and performance while supporting critical lunar navigation experiments, according to the Company.

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