L3Harris Extensively Expanding Satellite Line for Defense

L3Harris Technologies is currently working on enhancing its satellite production site. The company wants to incorporate an advanced production line of an unclassified satellite. The new satellites will primarily cater to the experimental capabilities for national defense purposes.

The Melbourne-based facility sits on over 100,000 square feet of space, all of which is solely focused on satellite tech development. The Central Florida location develops, manufactures, and tests satellites and their components which presently deliver classified capabilities for national defense. The primary objective of increasing production capabilities will assist in the development and testing of experimental Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3). NTS-3 is a priority program for the United States Air Force.

The rising facility investments are supporting the integration of three sizes of responsive satellites ranging from small to medium sizes. The advancing developments will support the urgent missions by the U.S. Department of Defense countering evolving threats.With emerging threats, customers require immediate addressal shortening the span from years to months, according to Ed Zeiss, President L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems. As a result, L3Harris is heavily invested in expanding the facility to meet the extensively increasing timelines.

Of the total eight buildings of L3Harris, two have undergone up-gradation aiming to manufacture multiple end-to-end satellites on a monthly basis. So far, the company has developed eight satellites at the expanded Palm Bay facility, followed by the ongoing development of 10 more satellites. L3Harris is on a mission to continue with the production capacity expansion by this year-end, producing six satellites per month.