Boeing Hands Pentagon WGS Satellite 6, WGS-5 to Launch Wednesday
Boeing has delivered the sixth wideband global satellite communications spacecraft to the Defense Department in preparation for its scheduled launch in 2013. The company shipped the WGS-6 satellite from its facility in El Segundo, Calif. to Titusville, Fla. and the spacecraft will be tested, fueled and integrated before its launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Boeing [...]
DRS Technologies has received a certificate from the Defense Department that allows users of the company’s mobile on-the-move terminal to operate and access the agency’s communication satellites in the Global Information Grid. The company received its X-Band On-the-Move certification from the Army Strategic Command and Department of Defense’ Joint SATCOM Engineering Center, DRS said Wednesday. [...]
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Lockheed Martin has wrapped up a design review phase for the U.S. Air Force‘s GPS III program, which aims to have 32 satellites in orbit to provide military, commercial and civilian users navigation signals. The company developed a non-flight satellite testbed to act as program’s ground pathfinder and vehicle demonstrator for the first complete satellite, [...]
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The U.S. Air Force launched a second Lockheed Martin-built missile warning and infrared satellite Tuesday, nearly two months after the company delivered the satellite to the Air Force. Lockheed’s Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous earth orbit spacecraft lifted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. at 5:21 p.m. yesterday onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas [...]
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General Dynamics‘ C4 Systems business unit has finished updating ground systems for three NASA tracking and data relay satellites that transmit signals from Earth-orbiting spacecraft to the ground. The TDRS satellites also connect White Sands ground station to the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station, the company says. Modifications and technology updates to [...]
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Harris Corp. has won a U.S. Air Force contract for an unspecified amount to help update the U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. The Space and Missile Systems Center’s defense weather systems directorate selected the company to evaluate existing DMSP space and ground assets, Harris said Wednesday. Evaluations will aim to address compatibility and transition issues, [...]
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A Lockheed Martin-led team has developed flight software for a U.S. Air Force GPS satellite program scheduled for launch availability in 2014. ATK, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Infinity Systems Engineering and ITT Exelis are among Lockheed’s subcontractors for the Global Position System III program, Lockheed said Wednesday. Lockheed is contracted to build four GPS III satellites [...]
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Northrop Grumman is providing NASA a set of satellites for transmitting images and data from space to Earth, with at least two out of six still operating beyond their planned 10-year lifespan. According to Northrop, Tracking and Data Relay Satellites three and five are respectively in year 24 and year 21 of their service life [...]
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DARPA Simulates Robotic Arm for Reusing Dead Satellites; Dave Barnhart Comments
January 23, 2013 No Comment
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has demonstrated prototype technologies for a program intended to reuse dead satellites in orbit. In a video released by the agency Tuesday, the agency displayed a scenario designed to show how to apply technology for the Phoenix program. According to the Pentagon’s research arm, potential technologies include a robotic [...]
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