[Satellite TODAY 09-13-11] Broadband satellite solutions and services provider Hughes Network Systems was awarded a contract extension from the U.S. Department of Defense to continue its current study of commercial communications satellite systems capabilities, Hughes announced Sept. 12.

   The extension also calls for analyzing enterprise trade-offs between modems and teleports, satellite communication payloads, terminal constraints, performance, and operations and mission planning, with the results to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Command Center’s Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate in early 2012.

   “The [Hughes] team has made great strides examining requirements and testing processing architectures, such as those found on Hughes Spaceway 3 and Jupiter satellites. We look forward to helping the Pentagon determine how to best meet the needs of our warfighters, especially in light of our austere budget environment,” Hughes Defense and Intelligence Systems Vice President and General Manager Rick Lober said in a statement.