Government/Military

[Satellite TODAY 09-02-10] The U.S. Department of Defense issued a $219.4 million contract to Honeywell International to supply systems, maintenance engineering and other services for an Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) enhancement, according to documents released by the Pentagon.     The network upgrades will allow AFSCN to provide expanded tracking, telemetry and command, operation,...

[Satellite TODAY 09-02-10] The GOES-15 environmental satellite completed on-orbit testing and has been accepted into service by NASA and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), satellite manufacturer Boeing announced Sept. 1.     The agencies accepted the satellite after it completed five months of on-orbit testing and demonstrated operational readiness of its subsystems, spacecraft...

[Satellite TODAY 09-02-10] NASA has extended its Space Program Operations contract with United Space Alliance (ULA) to remain active through the end of March 2011, the agency announced Sept. 1.     The cost reimbursement contract extension, worth about $909 million with award and performance fees, will see the company support flight operations for NASA’s space...

[Satellite TODAY 09-01-10] ITT Corp. received a subcontract from Lockheed Martin Space Systems to continue building the imaging system for GeoEye’s next-generation Earth-imaging satellite, GeoEye-2, ITT announced Aug. 31.     ITT has been developing technology for GeoEye-2 as a subcontractor since October 2007. The GeoEye-2 imaging system consists of a camera and sensor subsystem, optical...

[Satellite TODAY 09-01-10] Harris Corp. has received a $9.5 million contract from Elbit Systems to provide engineering services to support the Australian Department of Defense’s (ADF) Land 200 communications modernization program, the company announced Aug. 31.     The three-year contract will see Harris provide engineering services to integrate its Falcon tactical satellite radio systems into...

[Satellite TODAY 09-01-10] Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and NASA have conducted a cold-temperature ground test of the second Ares five-segment Development Motor (DM-2), ATK announced Aug. 31.     Initial test data indicated that the motor performed as designed, producing bout 3.6 million pounds of thrust and burning for just over two minutes. The test collected 764...

[Satellite TODAY 08-31-10] GPS 2F-SV1, the first of 12 Boeing-built U.S. Air Force Block 2F satellites, has entered service, Boeing announced Aug. 30.     The Air Force’s GPS Wing transferred GPS 2F-SV1 satellite control authority to the Air Force 50th Space Wing and the 2nd Space Operations Squadron, which will operate the satellite on its...

[Satellite TODAY 08-31-10] Technology and strategic consulting services and solutions provider SRA International has won a military task order under the U.S. General Services Administration’s mission-oriented business integrated services contract, SRA announced Aug. 30.     SRA will support the U.S. Air Force Space Command Directorate by performing studies of current and potentially future operational capabilities...

[Satellite TODAY 08-31-10] Raytheon subsidiary Raytheon Technical Services Co. (RTSC) signed a deal with NASA to support facilities and operations for astronaut training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Sonny Carter Training Facility in Houston, the company announced Aug. 30.     The contract, valued up to $120 million, will see RTSC operate, maintain and perform...

[Satellite News 08-31-10] The U.S. Military’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency 1 (AEHF 1) satellite, which experienced a main engine shut down shortly after its initial orbit burn on Aug. 30, will most likely be salvaged, a U.S. Air Force official told Satellite News.     Air Force Space Command Public Affairs Officer Andy Roake said the...