The U.S. Space Force awarded $615 million in firm‑fixed‑price contracts to Rocket Lab, Systems & Technology Research (STR) and an unidentified third company to develop satellite‑based airborne target tracking technologies.

The contracts are part of the Space‑Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB‑AMTI) program, which aims to provide persistent space‑based tracking of aircraft and missiles where conventional surveillance aircraft cannot safely operate, and follow a $4.16 billion award to SpaceX for the initial AMTI constellation.

Rocket Lab’s share, valued at $397 million, will develop, launch and operate multiple Flatellites — flat‑satellite designs intended for large constellations with space‑based sensors and high‑bandwidth communications — using its upcoming Neutron rocket and secure ground facilities, with an option for additional units. STR, a Virginia‑based defense technology firm, will contribute sensor and signal‑processing capabilities, building on prior work with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The third contractor’s identity was withheld for operational‑security reasons.

Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for Space‑Based Sensing and Targeting, said the task order focuses on diversifying capabilities and avoiding reliance on a single technical solution, noting that the new partnerships explore unique innovations and fundamentally different approaches to the airborne moving target indication mission.

The Space Force said the broader AMTI architecture will use multiple vendors and sensor designs, enabling the Pentagon to shift sensing missions from aircraft to space and improve detection of cruise missiles and other airborne threats.