DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN NEWS: U.S. Air Force Poised To Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Space Based Infrared System Satellite

DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN NEWS: U.S. Air Force Poised To Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Space Based Infrared System Satellite

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info)

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., - 5 May, 2011: The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin [NYSE : LMT] are ready to launch the first Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous (GEO-1) spacecraft on Friday, May 6 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The launch window is 2:14 p.m. EDT to 2:54 p.m. EDT. A live launch broadcast will begin at 1:54 p.m. EDT and will be accessible via the ULA webcast.

SBIRS GEO-1 will enhance early warning of missile launches around the globe, support the nation's ballistic missile defense system, greatly expand our technical intelligence gathering capability, and provide enhanced situational awareness for warfighters on the battlefield.

“SBIRS GEO-1 represents the dawn of a new era in overhead persistent infrared surveillance that will greatly improve national security for years to come,” said Brig Gen (select) Roger W. Teague, the U.S. Air Force’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate director. “We look forward to getting this next generation system on orbit and delivering its enhanced capabilities to the warfigher.”

The GEO-1 satellite includes highly sophisticated scanning and staring sensors that will deliver enhanced infrared sensitivity and a reduction in area revisit times over the current constellation. The scanning sensor will provide a wide area surveillance of missile launches and natural phenomena across the earth, while the staring sensor will be tasked to observe smaller areas of interest with enhanced sensitivity.

“SBIRS GEO-1 represents the dawn of a new era in overhead persistent infrared surveillance that will greatly improve national security for years to come,” said Brig Gen (select) Roger W. Teague, the U.S. Air Force’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate director. “We look forward to getting this next generation system on orbit and delivering its enhanced capabilities to the warfigher.”

The GEO-1 satellite includes highly sophisticated scanning and staring sensors that will deliver enhanced infrared sensitivity and a reduction in area revisit times over the current constellation. The scanning sensor will provide a wide area surveillance of missile launches and natural phenomena across the earth, while the staring sensor will be tasked to observe smaller areas of interest with enhanced sensitivity.

“SBIRS GEO-1 will usher in a new era of critical missile warning capabilities vital to our national security, and we are focused on delivering mission success for the warfighter,” said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and SBIRS program director. “The dedication, talent and integrity of the entire SBIRS team has been remarkable, and this launch will be a testament to every individual who has supported this vitally important program.”

The SBIRS team is led by the Infrared Space Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Lockheed Martin is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

Note to Editors:

The SBIRS GEO-1 launch will be broadcast live beginning at 1:54 p.m. EDT (20 minutes prior to launch) and will conclude approximately 45 minutes following launch.

Launch broadcast satellite coordinates:

SATELLITE – AMC 3 TRANSPONDER – 16C BAND – C-BAND ANALOG ORBITAL POSITION – 87 DEGREES W CARRIER – SES AMERICOM BANDWIDTH – 36 MHz UPLINK FREQ – 6245 MHz (Horizontal) DOWNLINK FREQ – 4020 MHz (Vertical)

A webcast can be viewed online here: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Multimedia_Webcast.shtml

SBIRS B-roll footage available at: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/SpaceBasedInfraredSystemHigh/sbirsvideo.html

SBIRS high resolution images are available for download at: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/sbirs

Media Contact:

Michael Friedman

303-971-7255

michael.1.friedman@lmco.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin

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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News

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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Complete Major Testing Milestone For First-Of-Its Kind Missile Warning Satellite

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Complete Major Testing Milestone For First-Of-Its Kind Missile Warning Satellite

** First SBIRS Geosynchronous Satellite Progresses Toward Launch

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) SUNNYVALE, Calif., - December 14, 2010: The U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) team has successfully completed the Final Integrated System Test (FIST) of the first geosynchronous (GEO-1) satellite, a major program milestone that verifies the spacecraft's performance and functionality in preparation for delivery to the launch site.

Having conducted all system environmental testing and now with the completion of FIST, SBIRS GEO-1 is on track to meet its scheduled spring 2011 launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The SBIRS Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) payloads have already been launched and are meeting or exceeding all performance requirements. The launch of GEO-1 will significantly enhance the nation’s early missile warning capabilities and simultaneously support other critical national security missions including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness.

“The joint government/industry team has made tremendous progress and demonstrated exceptional commitment in preparing the first SBIRS GEO spacecraft for launch,” said Col. Roger Teague, the U.S. Air Force's SBIRS Wing Commander. “Successful completion of FIST gives us high confidence in achieving SBIRS mission success to provide unprecedented, global, persistent, infrared surveillance capabilities to our nation.”

On the path to spacecraft delivery, the SBIRS team will complete final space to ground interface system testing, perform final spacecraft component installations, and conduct a final factory confidence test. Qualification of the satellite's flight software, designed to provide highly reliable command and control operations, is also progressing steadily. The team recently completed all 138 Engineering Dry Runs (EDR), a key milestone in the flight software qualification regimen, and is on track to complete the spacecraft’s comprehensive flight software qualification testing program early next year.

“With a focus on sound program execution, the entire government/industry team completed a disciplined and thorough test that represents a major program milestone on the path to mission success,” said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin’s SBIRS Vice President. “We look forward to and are keenly focused on preparing this first-of-its-kind spacecraft for launch to deliver critical new capabilities to our nation’s warfighters for decades to come.”

The SBIRS team is led by the Infrared Space Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Lockheed Martin is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman, as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system.

Lockheed Martin's original SBIRS contract includes HEO payloads, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. The team is also under a follow-on production contract to deliver additional HEO payloads, third and fourth GEO satellites, and associated ground modifications.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 133,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44 billion.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

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DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Achieves USSTRATCOM Certification On Second SBIRS HEO System

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Achieves USSTRATCOM Certification On Second SBIRS HEO System

*Operational System Providing Outstanding Surveillance Capabilities for the Nation

*Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) SUNNYVALE, Calif., - August 27, 2009: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced yesterday Aug 26., that the second Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO-2) payload and associated ground systems have been certified for missile warning operations by U.S. Strategic Command. Under contract to the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High program. SBIRS High is the nation’s next-generation missile warning system and will also provide greatly expanded capabilities for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. When fully operational, SBIRS High will comprise of two payloads in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), four satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), as well as fixed and mobile ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. SBIRS High is already providing the nation with enhanced worldwide missile detection and tracking capabilities, battlefield data, and technical intelligence through its ground segment. The first phase of the program, declared operational in 2001, consolidated ground functions of four remote sites into one centralized ground station. In addition to processing missile-warning data from Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites currently on orbit and managing the DSP constellation, the SBIRS ground station is credited with delivering significant operations and maintenance savings for its customer. SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other missions including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. “The certification of HEO-2 for missile warning operations is another major operational achievement for the SBIRS team," said Col. Roger Teague, the U.S. Air Force SBIRS Wing Commander. "The HEO system is delivering revolutionary new surveillance capabilities to combatant commanders and we look forward to continued strong progress on this critical national security space program." The formal certification by U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) completes the system development, operational activation and certification process, demonstrating the capability of the SBIRS HEO sensor and associated ground systems to provide timely, accurate and unambiguous warning data in support of USSTRATCOM missions. “This achievement is the result of a strong government-industry partnership focused on operational excellence and mission success,” said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin’s SBIRS vice president and program manager. “This system is providing superior detection and reporting capabilities for the warfighter and we look forward to building upon the success of the SBIRS mission with the launch of the first geosynchronous spacecraft.” The SBIRS team is now progressing through key integration and test activities on the first geosynchronous orbit (GEO) spacecraft, recently completing flight software subsystem development. The new flight software subsystem will enable the operation, control, and monitoring of the satellite’s health, status, and safety while performing important functions such as telemetry, thermal control, power management, and fault detection and recovery activities. The team is now gearing up for one of the most significant program milestones -- thermal vacuum testing -- which consists of testing the GEO-1 satellite in a flight-like environment where the heating, cooling and vacuum conditions of space are simulated while the spacecraft is operated as it will be on orbit. The SBIRS team is led by the Space Based Infrared Systems Wing at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Azusa, Calif., as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system. Lockheed Martin's SBIRS contract includes the two highly elliptical orbit (HEO) payloads now on-orbit, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. The team was recently awarded a $1.5-billion contract for the third HEO payload, the third GEO-3 satellite and associated ground modifications. A contract to include a fourth HEO payload and fourth GEO satellite is expected to be awarded later this year. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Achieves Key Integration Milestones On Second SBIRS Missile Warning Satellite

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Achieves Key Integration Milestones On Second SBIRS Missile Warning Satellite

*Source: Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) SUNNYVALE, Calif., - June 12, 2009: The Lockheed Martin led team developing the U.S. Air Force's Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) has successfully mated the spacecraft bus with the infrared sensor payload for the second geosynchronous SBIRS spacecraft (GEO-2). The payload installation closely followed successful completion of spacecraft bus integration and safe-to-mate tests that included the first power-on of the spacecraft. The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) (pronounced "sibirs") is a consolidated system intended to meet United States infrared space surveillance needs through the first two to three decades of the 21st century. The SBIRS program addresses critical warfighter needs in the areas of missile warning, missile defense and battlespace characterization. SBIRS is an integrated "system of systems" that will include satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), sensors hosted on satellites in highly elliptical orbit (HEO) and ground data processing and control. SBIRS ground software integrates infrared sensor programs of the U.S. Air Force (DSP) with new IR sensors. SBIRS continues to struggle with cost overruns, with Nunn-McCurdy breaches occurring in 2003, 2005, 2006 and most recently 2007. It is now expected to cost over $10 billion. The original contract consisted of 2 HEO satellite sensors and 2-3 GEO sensors (and satellites) with an option to buy a total of 5 GEOs. In December 2005, following the third SBIRS Nunn-McCurdy violation, the government decided to compete GEO 4 and 5, with an option to buy GEO 3 contingent on the performance of the first two. Additionally, the government started a potential SBIRS High replacement program and proposals are currently being written (as of late June, 2006). On June 2nd, 2009 Lockheed Martin announced it had been awarded a contract for the third HEO payload and the third GEO satellite, and for associated ground equipment modifications. SBIRS will provide early warning of ballistic missile launches and support other missions simultaneously, including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. The GEO-2 bus is the structural foundation of the satellite and includes an integrated propulsion system as well as other critical subsystems for communications, attitude control, thermal control, command and data handling. The GEO-2 payload features a scanning sensor that will provide for short revisit times over its full field of view and a staring sensor that can be tasked for dedicated stare operations over smaller areas. “The team has been diligent in incorporating lessons learned during the groundbreaking integration and test of the first GEO space vehicle,” said Keoki Jackson, Lockheed Martin's SBIRS GEO-2 program manager. “We have significantly streamlined the integration and test flow, eliminated duplicative testing and developed new support equipment to allow for more precise integration and faster vehicle reconfiguration.” Lt Col Heath Collins, the Air Force SBIRS Space Squadron Commander said, “this focus on continuous process improvement and disciplined execution will ensure that the joint contractor-US Air Force team delivers superior persistent infrared sensing capabilities for the United States and our allies.” The successful GEO-2 payload and bus integration allows the SBIRS team to begin system level environmental and acceptance testing in preparation for launch in 2011. The SBIRS team is led by the Space Based Infrared Systems Wing at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base in Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Azusa, Calif., as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system. Lockheed Martin's SBIRS contract includes the two highly elliptical orbit (HEO) payloads now on-orbit, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. The team was recently awarded a 1.5-billion contract for the third HEO payload, the third GEO-3 satellite and associated ground modifications. A contract to include a fourth HEO payload and potential fourth GEO satellite is expected to be awarded later this year. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.