WASHINGTON — Voyager Space announced Aug. 5 that it will continue its role as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin developing a critical solid-propulsion subsystem for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), a key component of the U.S. missile defense architecture.
Voyager, a space exploration and infrastructure company based in Denver, will provide a solid propulsion roll control system designed to stabilize the NGI missile’s flight trajectory. This follows a $94 million contract awarded to Valley Tech Systems in December 2021, shortly after it was acquired by Voyager.
Lockheed Martin’s NGI design was selected by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in April 2024 over a competing proposal from Northrop Grumman. The NGI is intended to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles, replacing the current ground-based interceptors.
Under the continued partnership, Voyager Space will be responsible for delivering a flight-qualified, production-ready subsystem to Lockheed Martin ahead of the projected 2028 delivery to the MDA. The subsystem will be manufactured at Voyager’s propulsion system facility in Reno, Nevada.
The roll control technology was originally developed by Valley Tech Systems through a series of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from the MDA and the U.S. Air Force, with Lockheed Martin serving as the commercialization and technology transition partner.
Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense…
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