[12-11-07 – Satellite Today]  The Boeing Company has been selected to participate in the development of the next-generation GPS ground system for the U.S. Air Force, the company announced Dec. 11.
    Boeing is a subcontractor to Raytheon Company, which was awarded the $160 million, 18-month contract by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in November. Known as OCX, the system will compliment the Air Force’s future GPS III spacecraft by offering better positioning service than today’s system, as well as improved anti-jamming capabilities for the warfighter.
    The first phase of the OCX contract progresses the program through a system design review and the concurrent development of a ground system prototype engineering model. The model will demonstrate improved mission capabilities for the warfighter as well as integration and compatibility across GPS satellite models operating today and in the future, including GPS 2F and GPS 3.
    In other Boeing news, the company has successfully completed a series of Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system tests as part of the development of a new operational sensor for the U.S. Space Surveillance Network.
    Tests of the SBSS system’s visible sensor, payload electronics and high-speed gimbal validate that the enhanced capability of SBSS will be twice as fast, substantially more sensitive and 10 times more accurate than the capabilities currently on orbit, resulting in improved detection of threats to America’s space assets.
    The recently completed SBSS milestones include recording the first image with a visible light sensor, powering up the spacecraft bus for the first time and the successful thermal vacuum testing of the visible sensor telescope.
    Boeing is developing the SBSS system and ground segment while working with Ball Aerospace to develop the spacecraft and visible sensor. The program is on track for a December 2008 launch.