Spacecraft · Space
Next-Gen OPIR GEO
Lockheed Martin geosynchronous missile-warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force.
- Milestones1
- Operators—
- Components—
- Programs—
- Capabilities—
- Inputs—
Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared missile-warning satellite in geosynchronous orbit, built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Space Force.
Timeline1
- MilestoneConfirmed
First satellite completes environmental testing
Lockheed Martin said on 6 August 2025 that the first satellite had completed environmental testing, including thermal vacuum testing; the completion date is not stated.
The latest 10 milestones. Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.
Cost to the Government
Space systems · Lockheed Martin
Next-Generation OPIR GEO
GEO-specific development funding is shown alongside clearly labeled broader Next Gen OPIR satellite-and-ground program context.
Comparable unit price
Not verified
No comparable standalone unit price was established; package or contract totals are shown separately.
U.S. inventory
Not verified
A current U.S. inventory was not established. Annual procurement, cumulative deliveries and production capacity are not a stockpile count.
U.S. procurement quantity
Not verified
No comparable U.S. procurement quantity was established in this review.
Annual RDT&E funding
$485.703M / yr
FY2027 total request · PB2027 · Nominal USD; source budget basis
R-1 PE1206443SF Next-Gen OPIR GEO. Annual appropriation, not lifetime development. FY2026 includes listed reconciliation spend-plan funds; FY2027 is requested funding. Not a contract award or recurring hardware price.
Department of Defense Comptroller ↗Cost & funding breakdown
Historical five-year Next Gen OPIR development plan
$14.4B
September 2021 GAO report · Source-reported USD · historical development plan
Broader program, including satellites and ground systems; not GEO-only lifetime development or actual expenditure. GAO describes a five-year spending plan.
Government Accountability Office ↗Broader Next Gen OPIR architecture
4
January 2026 GAO snapshot · U.S. only; stated source scope
Combined GEO and HEO/Polar satellites in GAO’s architecture table. Not four GEO spacecraft, delivered satellites, or a new order.
Government Accountability Office ↗Next Gen OPIR ground annual RDT&E request
$761.425M / yr
FY2027 · Nominal USD; source budget basis
PE1206440SF ground segment, separate from GEO spacecraft development and not added to the GEO unit cost.
Department of Defense Comptroller ↗GEO design-review milestone
Space Systems Command documented the GEO critical design review on August 24, 2021 and identified Lockheed Martin as prime contractor. This milestone is not a procurement award or a current inventory count.
A constellation budget is not a spacecraft price
The GEO, Polar and ground programs have separate funding lines. The 2021 five-year development plan and 2026 four-satellite architecture snapshot have different dates and scopes; neither is divided into a current recurring GEO satellite price.
Operations & sustainment
Annual operations & support
Not verified
A complete, system-specific annual operating and support cost was not established. Procurement, replacement rounds and contract support are different measures.
Cost over time · 3 observations
Each row retains its original scope and dollar basis. Changing quantities, service life and inflation can change the estimate without changing the price of building one unit.
| Observation | Measure | Amount | Dollar basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 actual · PB2027 | Annual RDT&E funding R-1 PE1206443SF Next-Gen OPIR GEO. Annual appropriation, not lifetime development. FY2026 includes listed reconciliation spend-plan funds; FY2027 is requested funding. Not a contract award or recurring hardware price. | $458.727M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | Department of Defense Comptroller ↗ |
| FY2026 total enacted / spend plan · PB2027 | Annual RDT&E funding R-1 PE1206443SF Next-Gen OPIR GEO. Annual appropriation, not lifetime development. FY2026 includes listed reconciliation spend-plan funds; FY2027 is requested funding. Not a contract award or recurring hardware price. | $422.173M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | Department of Defense Comptroller ↗ |
| FY2027 total request · PB2027 | Annual RDT&E funding R-1 PE1206443SF Next-Gen OPIR GEO. Annual appropriation, not lifetime development. FY2026 includes listed reconciliation spend-plan funds; FY2027 is requested funding. Not a contract award or recurring hardware price. | $485.703M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | Department of Defense Comptroller ↗ |
Contracts & purchasing · 0 records
Award values, ceilings and purchase agreements have different meanings. These records are not added together as total spending.
No primary-source contract record verified in this review. This does not mean there are no contracts.
Connected missiles & systems
Legacy and successor missile-warning systems
Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS)
GEO, Polar/HEO and ground components have distinct acquisition scopes.
Government Accountability Office ↗Complementary missile-warning programs
SDA Tracking Layer
Tracking Layer complements Next Gen OPIR; program and launch costs must not be double-counted.
Government Accountability Office ↗
International buyers
United States · Quantity not verified · Space Force development program · FY2027 request
GEO-specific funding, with broader constellation figures identified separately.
Department of Defense Comptroller ↗
Coverage & open research
- Current U.S. inventory and complete annual operating-and-support costs require additional public evidence.
- Buyer records are selected examples, not a complete global order book.
Unit costs and contract unit prices for this system, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.