On November 12, 2024, Sierra Space announced the successful completion of an early design review for its missile-warning satellites, part of a military low Earth orbit constellation. This milestone follows a $740 million contract awarded earlier this year to deliver 18 satellites for missile warning and tracking, along with associated ground systems.
The Space Development Agency (SDA) approved the design, allowing Sierra Space to advance its development efforts. The satellites, scheduled for launch in 2026, are integral to the Defense Department's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, specifically the Tranche 2 Tracking Layer.
Amidst this progress, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California announced layoffs affecting approximately 325 employees, or 5% of its workforce. This decision comes as JPL faces budget constraints following a reduction in funding for Mars sample return missions, leading to a review of the entire project.
Sierra Space, known for its commercial endeavors like the Dream Chaser space plane, is now positioning itself in the national security sector, competing with established defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin. Erik Daehler, senior vice president of Sierra Space Defense, highlighted the incorporation of components from Raytheon's Blue Canyon Technologies to mitigate schedule risks.
The company also shifted its supplier strategy for infrared-sensing payloads, moving away from Geost, and is now collaborating with a new, undisclosed supplier. The next significant milestone involves integrating optical terminals for satellite-to-satellite laser communications.
As Sierra Space progresses in the military satellite domain, the layoffs at JPL reflect broader challenges within NASA, which is now adjusting its workforce to align with fiscal realities. JPL Director Laurie Leshin expressed hope that these layoffs would stabilize the workforce moving forward.