Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion Contract to Transform U.S. Satellite Communication Systems
Boeing has secured a $2.8 billion contract for the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) project, the satellite component of the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system. The initial agreement includes two satellites, with options for an extra two in the near future.
“This is a crucial moment to bolster U.S. space capabilities to guarantee stability through strength,” declared Cordell DeLaPena, the U.S. Space Force Program Executive Officer for Military Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Directorate. “The strategic communication endeavor demands protection, power, and consistent accessibility, even amidst adversarial attempts to disrupt our connectivity. These satellites will promote connectivity from space as part of an updated NC3 system for our country.”
The ESS space systems will provide improved capacity, flexibility, reliability, and resilience compared to the current strategic communications satellites in orbit. Since 2020, Boeing has been advancing technical development and mitigating risks under a rapid prototyping agreement with the U.S. Space Force.
“The U.S. necessitates a national security framework that functions seamlessly, with the highest level of protection and capability,” commented Kay Sears, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space, Intelligence, and Weapon Systems. “We crafted an innovative system to ensure dependable communication in response to an evolving threat landscape in space.”
Boeing’s ESS solution is rooted in technologies the company has engineered for the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS)-11 and WGS-12 satellites, which have already demonstrated their performance aboard the commercial O3b mPOWER constellation. Building upon these advancements, this strategic military communications satellite constellation will be equipped with flexible and robust signals to defend against disruptions or interceptions.
“This accomplishment validates all the investments and innovations we’ve deployed in our satellite technology, delivering a cutting-edge and low-risk proposal for the government,” noted Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems. “We have enhanced our production capabilities, invested in our workforce, recruited specialized talent, and established streamlined production lines to ensure that we can begin immediately on day one. We are committed to delivering this vital capability to meet the strategic demand.”
When positioned in geostationary orbit—approximately 22,000 miles or 35,700 km from the Earth’s surface—ESS will provide continuous coverage to strategic forces worldwide. The spacecraft will utilize a highly secure waveform and classified technologies developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Boeing is set to deliver the first of two space systems by 2031.
