U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Photo: USAF

SSL, a Maxar Technologies company, and a provider of satellite and spacecraft systems will help define next-generation protected communications for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. SSL will develop, test, and analyze antenna subsystem prototypes through a contract with the Space Enterprise Consortium, managed by Advanced Technology International.

Leveraging its knowledge of trends in satellite communications and next-generation advances both in space and on the ground, SSL will create antenna subsystem prototypes that demonstrate key technologies for a resilient, cost-effective, and high performance protected tactical satellite communications capability. The study builds on previous SSL studies to develop and demonstrate next-generation military satellite communications architectures for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

“There are more than 85 SSL-built communications satellites currently in-orbit, and we are proud to leverage that experience to further expand and support U.S. Air Force capabilities,” said SSL Government Systems President Richard White.