Defense News
Despite expectations for an on-time satellite delivery, the Space Force has opted to delay the launch of its first Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared spacecraft until at least next spring due to high demand for launch services.
The satellite is one of two Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft 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, the first satellite will now stay on the ground until at least March of 2026 “due to a crowded 2025 launch manifest.”
GAO has long warned that the program’s schedule was likely too ambitious due to the technology requirements for its mission payload, and the agency predicted its launch would likely be delayed by at least one year. Those projections could prove true, but perhaps for more nuanced reasons.
