NASA awards BAE contract to build NOAA's Lagrange 1 series spacecraft
BOULDER, Colo. - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has awarded a $230.6 million contract to BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. of Boulder, Colo., to develop spacecraft for the Lagrange 1 Series project under NOAA’s Space Weather Next program.
The contract, issued under the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV framework, covers work from February 2025 to February 2035. BAE Systems will develop up to two spacecraft, integrate instruments, conduct satellite-level testing, provide training and support for flight operations, and assist with mission operations at its Boulder facility.
The Space Weather Next program aims to continue and expand space weather observations from stable orbital locations such as Lagrange Point 1, about a million miles from Earth. The first Lagrange 1 Series spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 2029 and will provide real-time coronal imagery and solar wind measurements. It will ensure data continuity as NOAA’s Space Weather Follow-On Lagrange 1 mission nears the end of its operational life.
Related: Raytheon's VIIRS instrument for NASA-NOAA satellite system completes thermal vacuum testing
These observations are critical for monitoring solar activity and its effects on Earth’s infrastructure, including power grids, communication networks, and navigation systems. The spacecraft will supply essential data to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts and alerts to help mitigate space weather-related disruptions.
NASA and NOAA jointly manage the Lagrange 1 Series project. NOAA oversees program funding, operations, data management, and dissemination, while NASA and commercial partners develop spacecraft and instruments and provide launch services.
