[Satellite TODAY 10-14-11] Lockheed Martin completed a system test on the first Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) military communications satellite it is building for the U.S. Navy, Lockheed announced Oct. 13.

  The end-to-end test validated the satellite’s performance and functionality with user ground terminals, Lockheed Martin said. The completion of the milestone test confirmed that the system meets U.S. Navy requirements and allows the satellite to proceed to final factory test activities prior to launch.

  MUOS aims to augment and replace the Navy’s legacy Ultra High Frequency Follow-On system providing assured communications, including simultaneous voice, video and data, for mobile warfighters. Each MUOS satellite features two payloads – a wideband code division multiple access payload and a legacy UHF payload.

   “This dual payload approach is fully compatible with deployed UHF terminals that will transition to MUOS technology as existing UHF satellites reach the end of their on-orbit life. The second WCDMA payload will provide an immediate 16-fold increase over legacy UHF satellite communications in the number and capacity of satellite links,” Lockheed Martin Vice President and MUOS Program Manager Mark Pasquale said in a statement.