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The U.S. Space Force has awarded BAE Systems a $1.2 billion contract to build 10 cutting-edge satellites for its Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Missile Warning and Tracking program.

The contract is part of the second phase of the program, dubbed Epoch 2. It was announced earlier this week, making BAE the first defense contractor officially signed onto this next-generation effort.

“This allows for additional resiliency in the missile warning and tracking satellite architecture,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Castillo of the U.S. Space Force and the materiel leader for Epoch 2. His comment underscores the increasing importance the Pentagon is placing on space as a domain for early missile threat detection and response.

The Epoch architecture

The Epoch program is central to the Space Force’s long-term strategy to counter growing missile threats from near-peer adversaries such as China and Russia. Medium Earth Orbit, or MEO, typically has an orbital range between approximately 1,200 and 22,000 miles above the Earth, offering a critical vantage point for persistent surveillance and missile tracking.

Under the Space Force’s vision, new MEO satellites will be launched on a biennial schedule to ensure continuous technological updates and resilience. The first phase of the program, Epoch 1, is already underway, with Millennium Space Systems contracted to deliver 12 satellites, the first of which is scheduled for launch by 2026. L3Harris has also been tapped to develop a prototype for this phase.

BAE’s involvement in Epoch 2 signals a continuation of that schedule. According to the Space Force, the company is expected to deliver its first spacecraft in 2029.

The Golden Dome Initiative

The broader context for this push is the Golden Dome Initiative, a newly announced homeland missile defense initiative spearheaded by President Donald Trump.

Just days into his renewed presidency, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to formulate and implement a national missile shield capable of intercepting both conventional and advanced missile threats.

While many of the architectural specifics of the Golden Dome remain classified, Pentagon insiders and defense contractors anticipate that it will incorporate multiple satellite layers from different orbits, including MEO and Low Earth Orbit (LEO), along with new technologies like space-based interceptors.

Existing satellite networks and those currently in development, such as the Epoch program and the Space Development Agency’s LEO constellation, are expected to form the backbone of this defense structure.

Trump has said he expects the Golden Dome to become fully operational within three years and has projected a cost of approximately $175 billion.

Congressional backing and budget Dynamics

The ambitions behind Golden Dome and the Epoch program are poised to benefit from a substantial funding boost, pending the outcome of ongoing congressional budget negotiations.

A Republican-backed reconciliation bill that passed the House last month includes $150 billion in new funding earmarked for Pentagon priorities, with a major emphasis on space-based defense capabilities.

Key allocations in the proposed legislation include:

• $7.2 billion for the development and procurement of space-based missile warning sensors.
• $5.6 billion for the advancement of space-based missile interception technologies.
• $2 billion to fund a nascent Space Force program focused on tracking air-moving targets via satellite.
• $2.4 billion for “nonkinetic missile defense effects,” which could include electronic warfare and cyber capabilities in orbit.

This proposed increase in funding reflects the growing bipartisan consensus that space will play a critical role in future military conflicts, particularly in the Indo-Pacific theater, where the U.S. faces evolving missile threats from both Beijing and Moscow.

Strategic implications

The deployment of MEO-based missile warning satellites serves multiple strategic objectives. Unlike satellites in geostationary orbit, which remain fixed over one location, MEO satellites offer a balance between broader coverage and reduced latency. This makes them ideal for tracking high-speed, maneuverable threats like hypersonic glide vehicles, a technology actively being pursued by both China and Russia.

By spreading assets across LEO, MEO, and GEO orbits, the Space Force aims to establish a multilayered defense grid capable of enduring a first-strike scenario, deterring aggression, and enabling rapid response. The inclusion of companies like BAE Systems, Millennium Space Systems, and L3Harris also reflects a deliberate strategy to diversify the contractor base and reduce reliance on any single provider.

As geopolitical tensions intensify and missile technologies evolve, the United States is rapidly transforming its approach to homeland defense. The integration of space-based sensors and interceptors into national defense planning is no longer a futuristic aspiration, it is becoming a budgeted reality. The Space Force’s contract with BAE Systems is just one of many developments reshaping the military landscape above Earth’s atmosphere.

With the first spacecraft from Epoch 2 expected to launch in 2029 and the Golden Dome initiative gathering momentum, the coming years will be crucial in determining whether the U.S. can maintain its technological and strategic edge in the final frontier. In an age where threats can travel at Mach 5 and appear with little warning, a resilient, space-based missile detection network is not just desirable, it is indispensable.