[Satellite Today 06-23-09] Northrop Grumman has delivered the first of two Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) demonstration satellites to the U.S. Air Force Cape Canaveral Air Station for launch preparation, Northrop Grumman announced June 22.
    Once operational, STSS, part of the ballistic missile defense network, aims to demonstrate key functions of a space-based sensor, passing missile tracking data to missile defense interceptors to enable them to intercept missile targets.
    Northrop Grumman received an $868 million cost-plus award fee contract in 2002 from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for development of the demonstration satellites.
Separately, Northrop Grumman’s GPS-OCX development team submitted its proposal to the Air Force for the OCX phase B contract, the company announced June 22.
    In 2007, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon both won GPS-OCX phase A contracts for a 22-month period. The Air Force is developing OCX to improve precision, navigation and timing services provided to global military, civil, commercial and personal users. The Air Force is scheduled to put OCX into operation by 2014.