Raytheon renews challenge to massive satellite contract

Raytheon has won a second shot at a satellite system to track hypersonic weapons, but the victory isn’t as complete as the company wants.

Both Raytheon and Airbus protested a Space Development Agency contract that went to L3Harris Technologies and SpaceX. The $342 million contract just one step toward a massive constellation of satellites.

The protests challenged how the evaluations were conducted and led SDA to take corrective action. SDA told the Government Accountability Office it would re-evaluate proposals and so the awards were pulled back.

But that wasn’t enough for Raytheon, which is now protesting the corrective action as too limited. Raytheon apparently wants an opportunity to adjust its proposal. The corrective action doesn’t address concerns raised in its protest, Raytheon told GAO.

While this protest is pending, the SDA can continue evaluating current proposals for what it calls the Tranche 0 Tracking Layer. That initial layer will consist of eight satellites. There eventually will be hundreds of satellites tracking and transporting data on hypersonic weapons and other next-generation missile threats.