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Two major U.S. defense and intelligence space contractors: comparing satellite programs, missile warning work, revenue and scale.
| Metric | Northrop Grumman | L3Harris Technologies |
|---|---|---|
| Parent Company[1,2] | Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) | L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX) |
| Space Segment[1,2] | Space Systems | Space & Airborne Systems (FY2025); Space & Mission Systems from FY2026 |
| Total Company Revenue (FY2025)[1,2] | $42.0B | $21.9B |
| Segment Revenue (FY2025)[1,2] | Space Systems: $10.8B (down 8% from 2024) | Space & Airborne Systems: $6.9B (also includes air traffic networks and airborne combat systems) |
| Space Programs (examples)[1,2,4] | SDA Tracking and Transport layers; Next-Gen OPIR polar satellites; HALO module for NASA Gateway; SLS solid rocket motors; GEM 63/63XL boosters for Atlas V and Vulcan | ISR, positioning and timing, weather and climate monitoring, missile defense and ground-based space surveillance; SDA Tracking Layer satellites |
| Science and Exploration[2,3] | Main industrial contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope | Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion for NASA (acquired 2023) |
| ISS Cargo[1] | Cygnus spacecraft under NASA Commercial Resupply Services | None |
| Launch Vehicles[2,6] | Antares 230+ retired after its Aug 2023 flight; Antares 330 and Eclipse being built with Firefly Aerospace | No launch vehicle; Aerojet Rocketdyne supplies propulsion |
| Restricted (classified) Work[1,2] | About 45% of Space Systems business is in restricted programs | Space Systems sector includes ISR work for national security customers |
| Missile Warning / Defense[1,4] | Next-Gen OPIR polar satellites; Glide Phase Interceptor; Ground-based Midcourse Defense boosters | SDA Tracking Layer missile-tracking satellites (Tranche 2 contract up to $919M, Jan 2024) |
| Employees (total company)[1,2] | About 95,000 (Dec 31, 2025) | About 45,000 (Jan 2, 2026) |
| Headquarters[1,2] | Falls Church, VA | Melbourne, FL |
Northrop Grumman is about twice L3Harris's size: $42.0 billion of 2025 sales against $21.9 billion. Its Space Systems segment ($10.8 billion in 2025, with about 45% of the work in restricted programs) builds SDA Tracking and Transport layer satellites, Next-Gen OPIR polar missile-warning satellites, the HALO module for NASA's Gateway, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft and solid rocket motors for SLS. Northrop Grumman was also NASA's main industrial contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope.[1,3]
L3Harris (formed in 2019 when L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation merged) reports its space work inside a broader segment: in fiscal 2025, Space & Airborne Systems ($6.9 billion) covered ISR, positioning and timing, weather and climate monitoring, missile defense and ground-based space surveillance, alongside air traffic networks and airborne combat systems. It builds missile-tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency, including 18 under a Tranche 2 contract worth up to $919 million, and since July 2023 it has owned Aerojet Rocketdyne. The Space Fence radar on Kwajalein Atoll was built by Lockheed Martin, not L3Harris.[2,4,5]
Track both companies on SpaceNexus