On-orbit render of Boeing's MUOS SLE satellite design.
WASHINGTON — Boeing will build the U.S. Space Force’s next generation of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellites on its flight-proven 702MP spacecraft platform.
The company disclosed the design choice June 25, two days after the Space Force announced it awarded Boeing a contract worth up to $2 billion to build two MUOS satellites. Boeing beat incumbent Lockheed Martin, which built the five spacecraft currently comprising the military’s narrowband communications constellation.
The new satellites are projected to launch in 2031 and 2032, the Space Force said.
The 702MP is a medium-power geostationary satellite bus introduced in 2009 that has been widely used for commercial communications satellites operated by companies including Intelsat and Viasat. Boeing also adapted the platform for the Space Force’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellites.
