First Lockheed Martin-Built Milstar Satellite Marks 10 Years In Service

SPACEWAR

illustration only

Sunnyvale - Feb 13, 2004
The first U.S. Air Force Milstar communications satellite, built by a team led by Lockheed Martin, has achieved its 10-year design life of on-orbit service, providing our nation's warfighters with secure and reliable communications during military operations since 1994.

Launched aboard a Titan IV launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral on Feb. 7, 1994, the first Milstar satellite is one of two Block I spacecraft on orbit equipped with a UHF and Low Data Rate EHF payload provided by Northrop Grumman Space Technology of Redondo Beach, Calif., and equipped with crosslink payloads to communicate between on-orbit satellites, built by Boeing Satellite Systems, El Segundo, Calif.

The Air Force transitioned to the Block II configuration with the successful launch of the first Milstar II satellite in 2001. The Milstar Block II system offers a variety of enhanced communications features for the U.S. military, including the Medium Data Rate EHF payload also built by Boeing Satellite Systems, which can process data at speeds up to 1.5 megabits per second.

"The Milstar team takes extreme pride in Milstar's impressive record of performance and longevity," said Leonard F. Kwiatkowski, vice president, military space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale. "For over 10 years, Milstar has served as the backbone of secure military communications capabilities and will continue to make an important contribution to national security for many years to come."

Milstar is the Defense Department's most technologically advanced telecommunications satellite system, which provides critical, secure links to U.S. national leaders, air, land and sea forces around the globe. The Milstar system is the only survivable, endurable means that the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command have to maintain positive command and control of this nation's strategic forces.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif. Is the prime contractor, satellite bus provider, ground command & control provider and lead systems integrator for Milstar, which were launched aboard Lockheed Martin-built Titan IVB/Centaur rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

On April 8, 2003, the final Milstar II was launched successfully and the team achieved an accelerated on-orbit checkout so that satellite's high-speed, highly protected communications capabilities could be quickly placed into operational service.

With the final Milstar on orbit, the first space-based global network is now in operation, providing a secure communications network which can transmit voice, data, and imagery, in addition to offering video teleconferencing capabilities for the Department of Defense. The Milstar team is led by the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.

SPACEWAR

Navy Takes Delivery of Boeing-Built UHF Follow-On Communications Satellite

St. Louis - Feb 09, 2004
The U.S. Navy in late January accepted delivery of the 11th UHF Follow-On (UFO) spacecraft, built by Boeing, following the satellite's successful completion of its in-orbit test program. The satellite, which will provide secure mobile communications to military personnel worldwide, was successfully launched on Dec. 17.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.