[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 telescope unit and outer barrel assembly. ITT Geospatial Systems President Chris Young said Lockheed Martin selected his company because of its critical imaging capabilities “Our integrated electro-optical payload will be highly advanced and will provide unparalleled detail and multispectral geospatial precision.” 
    GeoEye-2 is scheduled for launch in late 2012, with operations planned to begin in early 2013. “GeoEye-2 will set yet an even higher standard in resolution than GeoEye-1,” GeoEye COO Bill Schuster said. “The work we’ve already done on GeoEye-2’s camera system greatly reduces development and schedule timelines ensuring the satellite will be fully operational in early 2013.”
Separately, Lockheed Martin announced that its team has completed GeoEye-2’s system requirements review and that the satellite is ready for preliminary design review, scheduled for later this year.
    The requirements review verified the maturity of Lockheed Martin’s system design for meeting key user requirements, said Allen Anderson, Lockheed Martin’s GeoEye-2 program director. “This important review effectively demonstrated the advanced state of our GeoEye-2 design and how we can significantly improve the quality and quantity of commercial space-based imagery for our customer.”
    Lockheed Martin is developing GeoEye-2 under a fixed price contract to support the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) EnhancedView commercial imagery program. In August, GeoEye was awarded an EnhancedView contract worth up to $3.8 billion. EnhancedView was designed to provide critical geospatial situational awareness and global security information to intelligence analysts, warfighters and decision makers.

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