L3Harris has announced it has secured a continuation of a $90-million contract from the US Space Force to modernize the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS). The upgrade is part of ongoing efforts to bolster the US Space Force’s capabilities in detecting and responding to emerging anti-satellite threats. This latest agreement builds upon a previously established contract signed in 2022.
As part of the contract, L3Harris will focus on developing, integrating, and delivering an advanced suite of astrometric tools designed to enhance key space command and control capabilities. These improvements aim to significantly increase the speed, accuracy, and relevance of tracking satellites as well as space debris, thereby enhancing the capacity of the ATLAS system.
Ed Zoiss, President of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris, emphasized the importance of the work, stating, “Our work on the ATLAS program will enhance space operations and will help prevent adversaries from disrupting, degrading and destroying US space capabilities.” The ATLAS modernization is a critical part of the US Space Domain Awareness efforts, which aim to detect, track, and identify objects in orbit while evaluating potential threats to national security.
Furthermore, the initiative integrates essential intelligence, operational data, and system readiness assessments to facilitate effective decision-making and response planning – vital in maintaining a secure and strategic presence in space.
L3Harris has positioned itself as a key player in supporting US space domain awareness and control efforts, having won multiple contracts aimed at protecting vital assets and ensuring operational capabilities. Notably, in 2023, the US Space Force awarded L3Harris a $29-million contract to develop a sensor payload for a satellite-based missile warning and tracking system in medium-Earth orbit. The company had previously unveiled an innovative infrared technology in 2022, which is designed to capture high-resolution imagery and gather battlefield intelligence from space. This system operates at an altitude of 22,000 miles (35,405 kilometers), improving the capability to detect and monitor potential missile launches effectively.
