Space Force Seeks Commercial MEO Satellites to Harden Its Narrowband SATCOM

Space Force Seeks Commercial MEO Satellites to Harden Its Narrowband SATCOM underscores the U.S. Space Force’s growing concern that its narrowband communications rely too heavily on a small set of aging geostationary satellites. In a July 24 notice, Space Systems Command asked commercial operators for access to commercially owned and operated narrowband satellites in medium-Earth orbit, seeking capability “immediately or as soon as possible.” The move follows a $2 billion stopgap: Boeing is building a pair of MUOS satellites, Space Vehicles 6 and 7, under the Mobile User Objective System Service Life Extension program awarded June 24, 2026. Those spacecraft are planned to launch in fiscal years 2031 and 2032 and keep the current MUOS fleet operational through 2035. The article says MUOS currently includes four operational satellites plus one spare at about 22,000 miles, and that vulnerabilities in GEO coverage, maneuvering risks, and potential anti-satellite threats drive interest in MEO proliferation. It also notes the challenge of whether about 17,000 user terminals can support the transition.