USAF Orders Two Billion-Dollar Satellites from Boeing, Challenging Small Satellite Trend
The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $2 billion contract to build two large Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellites, bucking the industry trend toward small satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper. The contract supplements Lockheed Martin's original five-satellite MUOS system, ensuring continued ultra-high-frequency military communications through 2035. The article analyzes the strategic rationale for large satellites despite the advantages of small, cheaper, and more replaceable satellites, noting that the Air Force is replacing aging big satellites with new ones. This development has implications for space investors, as it signals continued demand for traditional large satellite platforms alongside the growing small satellite market.
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