EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 16, 2026, 09:36 PDT.
Boeing, together with its Millennium Space Systems subsidiary, on Thursday announced bigger satellite output and rolled out a new mid-sized platform dubbed Resolute. The move comes as Boeing targets delivery of 26 satellites in 2026. The company says Resolute is designed for government and commercial customers who need more capability than a small satellite, but want to avoid the lengthy timelines tied to bigger, custom-built systems.
Timing is crucial here. Military customers have been clear: ramp up production, and do it quickly. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, said this week the service expects suppliers making 10 spacecraft to scale to 40 as soon as funding arrives.
Commercial interest isn’t lagging behind. Amazon struck a deal this week to acquire Globalstar for $11.57 billion, taking on SpaceX’s Starlink as satellite internet expands into aviation, shipping, defense, emergency messaging, and direct-to-phone services—territory far beyond just rural broadband.
Boeing calls Resolute a platform positioned between smaller spacecraft and large, custom-designed ones. According to the company, it’s based on Millennium’s standardized parts and uses electronics with a track record in flight. It’s designed for communications, sensing, and a range of missions in multiple Earth orbital bands.
Kay Sears, who oversees Boeing Space, Intelligence & Weapons Systems as vice president and general manager, said the company is shifting gears to keep up with a market that’s speeding up. Tony Gingiss, Millennium’s chief executive, pointed to building out the “capacity to scale with demand” as the order backlog stretches. MediaRoom
This latest step follows Boeing’s announcement in February about ramping up operations at its El Segundo satellite site. The company launched a fresh electro-optical and infrared payload production line there—these are heat and light sensors—set to equip 12 U.S. Space Force missile-warning satellites slated for 2027. Boeing also laid out a plan to deliver 26 satellites in 2026, a target that would more than double what it shipped last year.
Boeing and Millennium aren’t the only ones eyeing new military space contracts. Millennium, among 14 firms tapped by the Space Force for its Andromeda contract, is part of a Pentagon strategy to expand its pool of suppliers and field more, smaller constellations instead of relying on just a few massive satellites.
But scaling up isn’t without hazards. Garrant pointed out that companies remain cautious, insisting on solid contracts before committing serious cash to new factories or tooling. Access to launches is still tight across the sector. Gregory Radisic, a senior teaching fellow at Bond University, said this week that Amazon’s disadvantage to SpaceX is “structural, not just numerical.” Air & Space Forces Magazine
Boeing slipped roughly 2.5% by midday in New York.
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