Rendering of the Resolute satellite platform. Photo: Boeing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Boeing and its subsidiary Millennium Space Systems are rolling out a new mid-class satellite platform called Resolute — designed to give more capability than a traditional small satellite, while providing more speed and flexibility than a traditional satellite program. 

Resolute is a satellite bus in the 2 kilowatt to 4 kilowatt power range and is applicable to communications, sensing and other mission needs for both defense and commercial missions. It’s a blend of Boeing and Millennium Space System capabilities – bringing together Boeing’s core payload technologies with Millennium’s speed and bus products. 

Tony Gingiss, CEO of Millennium Space Systems, explained Wednesday during a press briefing during Space Symposium that it fills the “donut hole” between Millennium and Boeing’s product lines — with Millennium satellites ranging from 50 watts to 1 kW, and Boeing satellites ranging from 4 kW to 30 kW and higher. 

Resolute leverages the common products Millennium has developed including flight computers, avionics products, and power products. 

“When we looked at this 2 to 4 kW range, we thought we could do it without any new products. The combined teams actually came up with a concept, which we call Resolute,” Tony Gingiss, CEO of Millennium Space Systems said. “It allows us to fill that hole [and] use all the same common products — no new product development from avionics or power subsystems.” 

This type of satellite platform can be deployed across orbital regimes. Gingiss said it is a fit for commercial and foreign military communications applications, including sovereign communications and micro GEO deployments.

In-space maneuverability is getting greater attention, with U.S. Space Command calling this week to develop a space maneuver warfare strategy. Gingiss said Resolute could also be adapted for maneuverable missions. 

“Most of our vehicles are highly maneuverable, highly agile and with high Delta-V. Resolute, building on those common products allows us to bring that to bat,” Gingiss said. “It’s going to come down to the mission. If it’s a communication mission, it’s not going to need a lot of agility. If it is for some other application, we have lots of heritage and lots of common products pointed at high-agility missions.”

Resolute is approximately at the level of preliminary design review and is “bid-ready” this year, Gingiss said. 

This comes amid a larger ramp-up in production capabilities for Boeing and Millennium, which posted double-digit satellite deliveries in 2025, a record for the company. This year it is targeting delivery of 26 satellites. Gingiss said Millennium has 100 satellites in its backlog. 

Kay Sears, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space, Intelligence & Weapons Systems, emphasized that Millennium is ready to ramp up production further should it be called upon and Boeing has allocated space for Millennium’s growth.

“Outside of the physical space, then it’s about available parts. We try to stock our common product parts on the on the shelf. Then it’s about the tooling. When we’re talking about tooling for Millennium and this new Resolute bus, this is agile tooling. We’re looking at modernized ways of doing things — automation, repeatability, things that we can scale,” Sears said.

Gingiss said this year, Millennium increased the size of its feeder factory where its common products are built from about 15,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet. Millennium also nearly doubled space dedicated to the FOO Fighter program, which the company will deliver eight satellites for the Space Development Agency.

Also in February, Boeing opened a new electro-optical infrared sensor production line in its El Segundo, Calif., facility, which will support the construction of 12 Epoch missile warning and tracking (MWT) satellites for the Space Force.

“That is where the combination of Boeing and our payloads and sensors and some of our experience in the larger satellites, combined with an agile startup like company like Millennium comes together,” Sears said. “We have a startup mentality with with Millennium, but with the resources and heritage of a prime. We don’t have to make a choice between heritage and agility.”