The US’s Space Force has delayed the launch of its first-ever Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infared spacecraft until next spring – despite expectations for it to be delivered sometime this year.
It is one of two Lockheed Martin-built satellites designed to provide early missile-warning capabilities from geosynchronous Earth orbit as part of the Next-Gen OPIR GEO program.
According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the first satellite will instead remain grounded until at least March 2026 due to high demand for launch services.
This comes as no surprise after GAO had warned the program’s schedule was perhaps too ambitious, warning that the technological requirements needed would see the launch likely delayed by at least one year.
Payload supplier RTX had faced developmental challenges throughout the process, leading to its first significant delay by 13 months to August 2024.
It has been relatively trouble-free since with expectations for it to be ready come September, but due to “a crowded 2025 launch manifest” will not be in the air until next year.
GAO’s report does note, however, that further delays could still come into play if there are any issues with the spacecraft during the final integration.
Next-Gen OPIR is part of a broader strategy to provide missile warning and tracking capabilities from space, with the Space Force also contracting Northrop Grumman to build two polar-orbiting spacecraft.
All four satellites will then replace the existing Space-Based Infrared System.
Lockheed Martin is developing the Next-Gen GEO satellites, and RTX is building the main infrared sensor payload.
Northrop Grumman is leading the development of the two Next-Gen Polar satellites, and in a rare positive update for the US Space Force, a new GAO report states the project remains “on track” for a first launch in 2028.
The report highlights that the polar satellites are being equipped with a modified version of the same mission payload used on the GEO spacecraft — a move that could pose scheduling risks during the integration phase of the programme.
It also notes that a cybersecurity strategy was signed off last year, with a series of tests planned for this year and a comprehensive system assessment scheduled for 2027.
The two GEO spacecrafts are projected to cost $9.5 billion, while the polar satellites are an estimated $5.9 billion.
