[Satellite TODAY Insider 02-01-11] The U.S. Air Force issued two contracts to Northrop Grumman and Integral Systems to maintain and service its air and space command and control capabilities, the companies announced Jan. 31.
   The Air Force Research Laboratory contracted Northrop Grumman to demonstrate information interoperability among different implementations of service-oriented architecture information technology systems across the air and space command and control domains.
   Northrop Grumman will conduct technology experiments to show methods that allow distributed information technology infrastructures to operate as a larger, virtually integrated command and control system. The company also said it would explore interest-based data models, information protocols and message exchange standards so that specified services can be best accessed and managed across the enterprise.
    “This research will enable coordination and synchronization of information and application services to meet the demands of warfighting missions. … We will recommend and demonstrate novel strategies to manage and orchestrate data flow and content delivery across the realms of air and space command and control,” Northrop Grumman Vice President Mike Twyman said in a statement.
    Separately, Integral Systems won a $13.7 million modification for its command and control system-consolidated (CCS-C) contract with the Air Force. The company will provide the Air Force with its Epoch IPS commercial off-the-shelf telemetry and command processing solution to manage its satellite constellations. 
The contract modification extends Integral’s CCS-C system award through 2011 and establishes an option for sustaining the program for an additional year. The CCS-C contract was awarded in early 2002.
    “The modification is a testament to the exceptional sustainment support delivered by Integral Systems to integrate the command and control systems of the Air Force’s mission critical milsatcom assets. In close partnership with the Air Force, our skilled professionals ensure CCS-C’s operational readiness to execute the milsatcom program mission,” Integral Systems’ CCS-C Program Manager Larry Lind said in a statement.

Related Stories-

Lockheed Martin Opens Virtual Simulation Facility for Satellite, Space Programs   Satellite Today   January 25, 2011
[Satellite TODAY 01-25-11] Lockheed Martin opened its Collaborative Human Immersive Laboratory (CHIL), an advanced technology and virtual simulation facility, which will be leveraged for a variety of programs, including the U.S. Air Force’s GPS-3…

Raytheon Advances GPS OCX Program; Set to Open Collaboration Center    Satellite Today   January 20, 2011
[Satellite TODAY Insider 01-20-11] Raytheon will open in February its GPS Collaboration Center in El Segundo, Calif., which aims to allow U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems personnel to conduct simulated interactions with the GPS Operational…

U.S. Space, ATK Form Joint Venture to Extend Life of Satellites    Satellite Today   January 14, 2011
[Satellite TODAY Insider 01-14-11] U.S. Space, a space solutions provider for government and commercial markets, has teamed up with ATK to create ViviSat, a new satellite life extension joint venture, the two companies announced Jan. 13.