Northrop Grumman’s Scalable Space Inertial Reference (Scalable SIR) Unit. Photo: Northrop Grumman

[Via Satellite 06-11-2014] Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to provide space inertial reference systems for the Geo Kompsat 2 space satellite program. Under the nearly $9 billion contract, Northrop Grumman will provide Scalable Space Inertial Reference Units (Scalable SIRU) for the Geo Kompsat 2A and Geo Kompsat 2B satellites. The contract also includes the possibility for an additional unit to be exercised by July 2015 for the Kompsat 6 program.

The Geo Kompsat 2 satellites provide payloads for meteorological, space weather, ocean and environmental monitoring missions. The expected launch of Geo Kompsat 2A is in 2018, while Geo Kompsat 2B is expected to launch in 2019. Both satellites have a life span of at least 10 years.

The Scalable SIRU will supply rotation rate data for stabilization, pointing and altitude control of the satellites, and at the heart of the system is Northrop Grumman’s patented Hemispherical Resonator Gyro (HRG) technology.