L3Harris launches first experimental navigation satellite in 50 years

MELBOURNE, Fla. - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX), a prominent $50 billion aerospace and defense player with over $21 billion in annual revenue, successfully launched its Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) on Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket.

The satellite represents the Department of Defense’s first experimental navigation satellite system in nearly five decades and is designed as the first fully reprogrammable Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) satellite.

According to a company press release, NTS-3 will conduct experiments to test next-generation technologies that could assist military operations in contested environments where GPS signals may be unavailable.

"The need for accurate and uninterrupted PNT has never been more essential to our warfighters who operate in GPS-denied environments," said Ed Zoiss, President of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris.

The company stated that NTS-3 was delivered three times faster and at lower cost than comparable programs by using industry standard form factors and interfaces. The satellite is smaller and lighter than traditional PNT satellites and will operate at a higher altitude.

L3Harris components were also critical to the launch vehicle itself, with the Vulcan rocket utilizing two L3Harris RL10 engines providing nearly 48,000 pounds of thrust, along with 12 MR-107 thrusters for upper stage steering and various avionics systems.

Once in orbit, NTS-3 will perform experiments intended to influence future U.S. space-based PNT capabilities. The satellite features modular, scalable payload technology that can be configured for different satellite buses, which the company claims will be important for future affordability goals and mission timelines.

In other recent news, L3Harris Technologies reported impressive second-quarter 2025 earnings, with non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share reaching $2.78, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.49. The company’s revenue also exceeded expectations, hitting $5.43 billion against the anticipated $5.31 billion. This strong performance led Bernstein SocGen Group to raise its price target for L3Harris to $324, maintaining an Outperform rating. Similarly, RBC Capital increased its price target to $280 while keeping a Sector Perform rating, citing the company’s 6% organic growth and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.5x. Additionally, L3Harris was awarded a $53.8 million contract modification by the U.S. Department of Defense for the procurement of additional production units and an antenna. In another development, L3Harris announced a collaboration with Joby Aviation to develop a new hybrid aircraft for defense applications, with flight testing expected to begin in fall 2025. These recent developments highlight L3Harris’s ongoing growth and strategic partnerships in the defense sector.

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