14 set to chase $500M in satellite work

Fourteen companies will compete for task orders under a $494.9 million Air Force contract for hosted payload solutions.

A hosted payload is when the Air Force or other government agencies adds a payload to a commercial satellite launch. The practice has tremendous savings potential because the government doesn’t have to build and launch a rocket of its own.

This contract creates a pool of contractors that the government can quickly turn to various payload missions.

The 14 the Air Force picked are:

• Astrium Services Government Inc.
• Harris Corp.
• Space Systems/Loral, LLC
• Millennium Engineering & Integration Co.
• Surrey Satellite Technology
• Orbital Sciences Corp.
• Boeing Co.
• Exoterra Resources
• Lockheed Martin
• Merging Excellence and Innovation Tech Inc.
• ViviSat, LLC
• Intelsat General Corp.
• SES Government Solutions
• Eutelsat America Corp.

The scope of work includes procurement of hosted payload missions and procurement of hosted payload studies, according to the Defense Department announcement.

Space and ground systems support and on-orbit support for data transfer to the government customer are expected services.

All of the companies who bid on the contract won awards.

The contract runs through Jan. 31, 2029, and only $975,696 are obligated at this time.