American L3Harris has expanded its production to develop the Golden Dome
US defence company L3Harris has completed a major expansion of its space manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, investing $125 million to upgrade the 8,800-square-metre facility.
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The manufacturing facility will support the Golden Dome programme, a constellation of satellites to detect, track and intercept missiles.
The expansion involves the development of orbital technologies capable of not only monitoring missile launches but also repairing, upgrading or servicing satellites in space. This will help extend the service life of satellites and increase their resistance to threats.
The facility will also be used to design, integrate, test, and manage US missile defence programmes. In short, the new facility will also be used to develop satellites for civilian meteorological programmes.
The expanded L3Harris facility in Fort Wayne. Illustration: L3Harris
Ed Zeuss, president of L3Harris' Space Systems Division, said the company is capable of producing up to 48 satellite payloads per year. He stressed that this capacity will contribute to the realisation of President Donald Trump's defence vision, in particular the concept of the "Golden Dome of America" to protect against missile threats.
Source: L3Harris