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The second satellite of the Mobile User Objective System constellation will launch in July from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Four satellites and one on-orbit spare will comprise the constellation, which will provide service worldwide.
Image credit: Lockheed Martin
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[Satellite TODAY 06-28-13] Lockheed Martin announced that its second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite built for the U.S. Navy was successfully encapsulated into its payload fairing. It is scheduled to launch July 19 aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA)Atlas 5 launch vehicle.
The MUOS constellation replaces the legacy Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-On system and delivers secure, prioritized voice and data communications, a first for mobile users who need high-speed mission data on the go.
The first MUOS satellite, launched in 2012, has been providing high quality legacy voice communications for users, and terminals are already testing using the advanced payload that enables data exchanges. More than 20,000 existing terminals are compatible with and can access the MUOS legacy UHF payload, and with the release of the new waveform developed for increased data-handling capacity, many of these terminals could be retrofitted to access the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) payload.
This advanced WCDMA payload incorporates commercial technology designed to provide 16 times the number of accesses as the legacy UHF Follow-On system that it replaces.
The geosynchronous constellation consists of four satellites and one on-orbit spare, which are expected to achieve full operational capability in 2015, extending UHF narrowband communications availability well past 2025.
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