NASA Awards L3Harris Contract to Build All Glass Telescope for LISA Mission
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 8, 2026 — NASA has awarded a significant contract to L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) to design, assemble, integrate, and test a telescope for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
This ambitious initiative, led by the European Space Agency, focuses on detecting gravitational waves in space. It aims to measure minute distance changes between satellites using laser beams, enhancing our understanding of phenomena such as black holes, colliding stars, and the nature of space-time itself.
Jeff Hanke, President of Space Systems at L3Harris, stated, “LISA will open a new window into the universe that ground-based observatories cannot access. By listening to the low-frequency ripples in space-time across millions of kilometers, LISA allows the study of massive, distant, and rare cosmic events that are otherwise invisible.”
The mission will deploy a constellation of three satellites in a heliocentric orbit, spanning an impressive 2.5 million kilometers, forming a triangular formation. This unique configuration is designed to measure distance changes smaller than the width of a single atom. Each satellite will feature two L3Harris telescopes, equipped to transmit and receive precision laser beams, utilizing advanced ceramic glass technology.
L3Harris previously developed a full-scale prototype telescope for the LISA project, which now serves as a guide for the development of the flight hardware at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
About L3Harris Technologies
L3Harris is recognized as a Trusted Disruptor in defense technology. With a keen focus on customers’ mission-critical needs, the company delivers comprehensive technology solutions that span the realms of space, air, land, sea, and cyber, all aimed at enhancing national security. For more information, visit L3Harris.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that present management’s current expectations and estimates regarding future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company advises investors that forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in actual results differing materially from those indicated. L3Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise these statements as new information or future events arise.
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Source: L3Harris (2026-10-08)
