WASHINGTON — Boeing will build the U.S. Space Force’s next generation of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellites on its flight-proven 702MP spacecraft platform.
The company disclosed the design choice June 25, two days after the Space Force announced it awarded Boeing a contract worth up to $2 billion to build two MUOS satellites. Boeing beat incumbent Lockheed Martin, which built the five spacecraft currently comprising the military’s narrowband communications constellation.
The new satellites are projected to launch in 2031 and 2032, the Space Force said.
The 702MP is a medium-power geostationary satellite bus introduced in 2009 that has been widely used for commercial communications satellites operated by companies including Intelsat and Viasat. Boeing also adapted the platform for the Space Force’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellites.
The company said it has delivered multiple 702MP satellites since the fourth quarter of 2025.
MUOS is the U.S. military’s primary narrowband communications network, providing secure voice, data and messaging services to troops, ships, aircraft and special operations forces operating worldwide. The system uses ultra-high-frequency (UHF) communications, which are valued by the military because the signals can penetrate foliage, urban environments and some weather conditions better than higher-frequency bands.
Unlike the WGS constellation, which supports high-capacity data transmissions, MUOS is designed to connect users equipped with relatively small terminals in austere environments.
Sam Greaves, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems, said the new satellites will provide “secure communication that works in demanding conditions.”
In a news release, Boeing emphasized its longstanding role in the program, noting that it developed and delivered the payloads carried by the current MUOS constellation.
“This award builds on our deep UHF heritage,” said Ryan Reid, senior director of space communications programs at Boeing. “When military users are operating in the most demanding conditions, this narrowband capability is their lifeline.”
