[Satellite TODAY 07-15-13] The U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and U.S. Air Force principals are preparing for the launch of the second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite. Liftoff is scheduled for July 19 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., onboard a ULA Atlas 5 rocket.

 

     The MUOS constellation replaces the legacy Ultra High Frequency (UHF) follow-on system and delivers secure, prioritized voice and data communications – a first for mobile users who need high-speed mission data on the go.

 

     The first MUOS satellite, launched in February 2012, has been providing high quality legacy voice communications for users, and terminals are already being tested using the advanced payload that enables data exchanges. More than 20,000 existing terminals are compatible with and can access the MUOS legacy UHF payload, and with the release of the new waveform developed for increased data-handling capacity, many of these terminals could be retrofitted to access the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access payload.